Second graders gallant in defeat as Old Boys scrape their way home

A total of 88 wasn’t enough for Gunnedah in last Saturday’s second grade cricket contest at Kitchener Park, as Old Boys recorded an unconvincing four-wicket victory.

A batting collapse ultimately cost the hosts as their final eight wickets fell for only 32 runs, before the visitors overcame several hiccups to win in the 20th over.

Gunnedah’s top scorer made 24 before the top score for Old Boys was a mere 17, while the run chase involved 23 sundries including 17 from illegitimate bowling.

With the hosts invited to bat first, Jayden Winsor registered the first boundary in the fifth over before Jaycob Price found the boundary in the next over, only to depart from the following delivery.

Only 17 runs were on the board after eight overs before the ninth over yielded 12 runs, following two fours to Braith Winsor.

Jayden Winsor fell with the total on 39, before some tight bowling took place. Braith Winsor broke the shackles as he smacked Mathew De Groot’s first delivery for six, but the bowler held a catch from the next ball before Ricky Dawson struck the bowler’s third delivery for four.

Alasdair Hewitt and Prasanth Yadav did the damage as the middle and lower order fell apart, and Gunnedah was all out with 70 balls remaining in the allotted 40 overs.

The final wicket fell when Dan Bryant stuck out his left hand to take a smart and very casual-looking one-handed catch in the covers.

The Old Boys total quickly reached 13 due to numerous sundries, before Ben Rains was adjudged caught behind when the ball appeared to flick his thigh pad.

Keaton Walters held a catch at mid-wicket off Price’s bowling, before Jonah Cameron won an appeal for lbw as Old Boys stumbled from 1-30 to 3-33.

Old Boys passed 50 but then lost another two quick wickets, with Vinnie Winsor claiming an lbw before Price rattled Andrew Swain’s stumps.

Bryant cracked four quick fours and a single before he too was bowled by Price, leaving Old Boys 6-72.

De Groot promptly opened his account with a splendid late cut for four, before a three to Hewitt took the total past 80.

De Groot hit another four, before finishing the match with a six.

Old Boys 6-95 (Dan Bryant 17; Jaycob Price 3-36) defeated Gunnedah 88 (Braith Winsor 24; Alasdair Hewitt 4-14, Prasanth Yadav 3-18) by four wickets.