First graders stave off outright defeat

Gunnedah’s first grade cricketers had one of their most encouraging results of the season as they recorded a respectable first-innings defeat against Bective East in the two-day fixture at Wolseley Park.

After the visitors tallied 327 runs for the loss of five wickets in 80 overs on Saturday February 15, the hosts managed 216 runs the following Saturday while also batting out 80 overs and losing five wickets.

Although Gunnedah never looked like getting close to Bective East’s total, the hosts took heart from the fact that they weren’t bowled out.

It was also notable that Gunnedah’s total was its highest of the season, after its previous highest was 173 all out in an agonising one-run first-innings defeat a few months earlier.

It was hardly surprising that Bective East declared its first innings closed before play began last Saturday, as the visitors sought 20 wickets for an outright win.

Bective East would’ve fancied its chances, with Gunnedah having won only one game all season – in the one-day format – and suffered an outright defeat in the second of its two two-day fixtures in the first half of the season.

Justin Carter and Sam Doubleday put on 21 runs for the first wicket before departing without the addition of a run, with Carter exiting in the 12th over and Doubleday in the 13th.

Kyle Gallen scored 33 in a 57-run stand before falling in the 34th over, and then the fourth wicket partnership provided the stability which had been lacking all season.

Having had a very lean run of scores, captain Andy Mack and vice-captain Izaak Merlehan knuckled down and resisted the bowling.

Survival was the name of the game, although the batters were ready to pounce on erratic deliveries as well as work the singles and twos. They also rode their luck at times, as a number of edged strokes fell safely.

Shortly after Gunnedah’s total passed 150, Mack gave a chance to deep mid-on but the catch was dropped.

Mack’s innings yielded six fours, and his last scoring stroke was a six which took him to 76. When he was caught in the 61st over with the total on 166, Bective East may have felt there was still a chance of bowling Gunnedah out.

Richard Avendano foiled the visitors, and Merlehan was just two runs shy of a half-century when he was caught-and-bowled by Ben Taylor in the 71st over.

Jye Hicks lasted the remainder of the innings, scoring six runs while Avendano made his way to 24 not out.

Taylor delivered 23 overs while Bective East used 10 bowlers.

Bective East 5-327 (Matt Everett 170 not out, Jye Paterson 99) defeated Gunnedah 5-216 (Andy Mack 76, Izaak Merlehan 48; Ben Taylor 2-68) by 111 runs on the first innings.