A dramatic batting collapse from Gunnedah’s second grade cricketers resulted in a 55-run loss to the Bective East Bulls at Riverside last Saturday.

The game was much more competitive than the result suggested, with the home side dismissed for 133 in 27.2 overs before Gunnedah was dismissed in 18.4 overs after losing its final six wickets for three runs in 17 balls.

Gunnedah was a player short while only three players backed up from the five-wicket victory against South Tamworth in the season-opening round a week earlier.

Richard Avendano, Bailey Lennox and Jack Hayes were among the missing players last Saturday after they played major roles in the team’s round one success.

A few players stepped up from third grade, while Beau Herbert captured five wickets after missing the round one contest.

After winning the toss, the Bulls began strongly as Chris Paterson hit the first ball of the game for four and then found the boundary twice in the second over.

The opening stand produced 47 runs before Jaycob Price dismissed Paul Lawrence in the seventh over, and then the middle order fell apart as the Bulls fell to 5-62 after 12 overs.

Braith Winsor claimed the second wicket before Herbert struck with his sixth delivery which left the batting side 3-59 after 10 overs.

Herbert made two breakthroughs in his second over, with Paterson the fourth victim to be bowled before the next victim was lbw.

Shahid Khalfan did the bulk of the scoring in a sixth wicket stand of 54 before he too was adjudged lbw, and then Brady Hunter became Herbert’s fifth victim when he heard the ‘death rattle’.

Vinnie Winsor polished off the tail with the final three wickets, with last batter Aidan Walker the sixth player to be bowled.

Herbert was the star with 5-23 from seven overs, while Vinnie Winsor had 3-28 in 5.2 overs.

Gunnedah was a wicket down without a run on the board after three balls, before Price’s dismissal in the sixth over left the visitors 2-23.

Tom Swain hammered a four and a six in the seventh over, and received steady support until Jye Hicks was lbw in the 13th over with the total on 58.

Gunnedah reached 3-75 after 15.5 overs, but incredibly the game ended less than three overs later as the innings crashed spectacularly.

Three batters were caught, two were bowled and the last was stumped during the 17 balls of madness.

Deni Baker finished with 4-17 from 4.4 overs while Craig Baker had 3-8 from three overs.

Gunnedah returns to home soil this Saturday with a contest against Old Boys at Kitchener Park, with Old Boys chasing three straight wins.

Bective East Bulls 133 (Shahid Khalfan 39; Beau Herbert 5-23, Vinnie Winsor 3-28) defeated Gunnedah 78 (Tom Swain 30; Deni Baker 4-17, Craig Baker 3-8) by 55 runs.