Gunnedah’s fourth graders finished 59 runs shy of victory in a run glut at Riverside 6 last Saturday.
After losing a wicket from the first delivery of the match, City United finished on 7-227 from 40 overs before dismissing Gunnedah for 169 with nine balls to spare.
Ed Martin gave the visitors their dream start when he bowled Tom Aylett between bat and pad, before the next three balls conceded nine runs including a boundary off the bat and four from byes.
Grant Scarborough’s 36 included eight fours, while Fletcher France found the boundary four times in his 37.
The 13th over cost 20 runs before the introduction of Ken Walters for the 15th over paid off, as he dismissed Scarborough during a wicket-maiden.
Shane Fleming was unable to hold onto a chance just before drinks, but it mattered little as City United fell from 2-93 to 4-94 soon after the break. Fletcher France sportingly walked following a half-hearted appeal for caught behind, before Hudson France was bowled.
Ben France and Oliver Scott found the boundary plenty of times in a fifth wicket stand of 96 before Scott was run out.
Ben France reached 52 retired with his ninth four, and then the total passed 200 before Tyler Small nabbed a wicket.
Marnee Walters conceded only three runs in the second-last over, and then Oscar Middlebrook claimed a wicket before Ben Scarborough hit the penultimate ball to the boundary.
Jono Middlebrook was Gunnedah’s best bowler with 2-21 from eight overs, while Ken Walters’s four overs cost just nine runs.
Gunnedah’s opening partnership ended at 41 when Martin was caught at cover in the 12th over.
Gunnedah flopped from 1-58 to 4-59, as another catch at cover was followed by an lbw and a catch at square leg.
Zafar Mukhtar hammered a four and a six in the lead-up to drinks, and then pulled the second ball of the 21st over for another six.
A slower ball bowled Mukhtar later in the over, but it was a no-ball which resulted in a four from the free hit.
Gunnedah was 5-89 when Grant Scarborough held a catch at cover off his son Ben’s bowling, before Mukhtar gained two runs from a dropped catch.
The 26th over cost 21 runs, with Mukhtar smashing two sixes and two fours before his next six took him to 53 retired.
The required run rate was well beyond Gunnedah with Marnee Walters, Shane Fleming, Tyler Small and George Hoddle having some time at the crease.
Fletcher France held a sharp catch off his dad Ben’s bowling, and then Kallie Walters scored a single before the returning Mukhtar took strike.
Mukhtar smacked a four, only to be bizarrely dismissed from the following delivery as he trod on his wicket.
Ben France completed an outstanding match with 3-9 from four overs, while Oliver Scott finished with 36, 2-8 and three catches.
With City United climbing to second and Gunnedah slipping to fifth on the eight-team ladder, Gunnedah faces Bective East and West Tamworth in T20 games at Riverside this Saturday.
City United 7-227 (Ben France 52 retired, Fletcher France 37; Jono Middlebrook 2-21) defeated Gunnedah 169 (Zafar Mukhtar 57, Ken Walters 37; Ben France 3-9, Oliver Scott 2-8) by 58 runs.
