Sixteen-year-old Archie McMaster was the standout performer as Bective East downed Gunnedah by 38 runs in last Saturday’s Tamworth District Cricket Association (TDCA) first grade fixture at Wolseley Park.
McMaster’s composed 86 off 106 balls set up Bective East’s total of 6-185 in 40 overs, before he captured 4-13 from 5.3 overs with his tweakers.
McMaster was the only Bective East player to pass 22 before three Gunnedah players passed 30, but nobody could go on with the task as the hosts were dismissed with 33 balls remaining.
After winning the toss, the visitors were 1-8 as Ateeq-ur Rahman broke through in the third over which was a wicket-maiden.
Jack Hayes struck next when Lachlan Barton top-edged a catch to Peter McCormack at square leg, leaving Bective East 2-44 in the 14th over.
Ben Taylor’s only three scoring strokes were fours, before he was adjudged lbw to Will Ford as Bective East stumbled to 3-82 after 21 overs.
McMaster posted his half-century as he dispatched McCormack’s first two deliveries to the boundary, taking the total to 3-105 in the 27th over.
Adam Jones contributed 17 runs to a 43-run partnership before lofting a catch to McCormack at fine leg, and Bective East was 5-138 in the 34th over when Izaak Merlehan’s second-last delivery rattled Jake Everett’s stumps.
The 37th over was the most expensive of the innings as 16 runs took the score beyond 165. McMaster clubbed a four and a six from successive balls, with the latter shot coming from a full-toss which was called a no-ball.
McMaster exited in the 39th over when he skied a catch to Justin Carter, before the fifth ball of the final over yielded two runs from a missed catch at long-off.
Kyle Gallen hit the second ball of Gunnedah’s innings to the boundary but was bowled next ball, and then 61 runs were added for the second wicket.
Kurt Barton was hit for six in his second over before his third over contained six wides, but he finished with economical figures of 1-21 from eight overs.
Carter was caught off Barton for 31, before Alistair Hillard fell to Taylor as Gunnedah slipped from 1-65 to 3-73.
Ford gave a chance in the 22nd over and then creamed the next ball for four before the luckless bowler, Taylor, had another catch dropped off his bowling in the 24th over as Merlehan was reprieved.
Moments later the hosts crashed to 5-83 as Taylor struck two monumental blows, with Merlehan stumped before captain Andy Mack was bowled second ball.
The 100 was raised in the 27th over before the following over cost 17 runs. Will Ford lofted a six and scored a single, before Ash White used his feet and clouted a four and a six.
The momentum quickly disappeared as Ford pulled a loose delivery from McMaster to backward square leg, before McMaster’s next over produced an lbw which left Gunnedah 7-121.
Ash White scored 11 runs in Craig Baker’s first over, including fours from the first two balls before White had his middle-stump bent back in Baker’s second over. Another eight runs were added before the last two wickets fell from successive balls, as McMaster twice hit the stumps.
Bective East 6-185 (Archie McMaster 86; Ateeq-ur Rahman 2-22) defeated Gunnedah 147 (Will Ford 34; Archie McMaster 4-13, Ben Taylor 3-42) by 38 runs.
Archie McMaster excelled with bat and ball for Bective East against Gunnedah, scoring 86 and capturing four wickets.
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