An inspired spell of bowling from Keaton Walters helped Gunnedah grab a tense 14-run first-innings victory against Old Boys in the Tamworth District Cricket Association (TDCA) two-day match at Wolseley Park.

Old Boys was well-placed at the start of last Saturday, resuming at 0-59 in reply to Gunnedah’s 144 before reaching 2-103 and then crumbling as Walters bagged 5-14 in a hostile six-over spell.

Last week’s report stated that Gunnedah’s total was 145, but a correction in the scorebook revealed Old Boys required 145 for a first-innings win. (Some individual player figures also needed to be adjusted, including Lawson Shepherd with 2-12 off 12 overs rather than 2-11 off 11.)

Gunnedah missed Ben Irwin for day two, after he top-scored with 30 at number 10 the previous Saturday. In retrospect, the ninth and tenth wicket partnerships in Gunnedah’s first innings made a massive difference after the home team had been 8-90.

Old Boys meanwhile missed one of its former Gunnedah players, Hayden Baker, on day two after he took four wickets on day one.

The pitch proved tricky to bat on for a while last Saturday, after it hadn’t been covered the previous afternoon when rain came.

The Old Boys openers didn’t last long on day two before a catch in the slips and a catch in the gully off Ash White’s bowling left Old Boys 2-67.

Former Gunnedah-based players Mitchell Swain and Adam McGuirk dug in, with the latter vitally reprieved when he was caught behind off a no-ball in Walters’s first over.

Walters conceded seven runs in the over, before his next over was a crucial double-wicket maiden.

McGuirk skied a catch to Gunnedah skipper Kyle Gallen at mid-on, before Coady Scott edged a catch behind.

Walters had fire in his belly, as he worked up some fierce pace while many deliveries reared awkwardly.

Mitchell Swain departed in Walters’s third over as the wicketkeeper held a juggling catch, although it appeared the ball may have missed the batter’s gloves and bat.

When the second ball of Walters’s fourth over exploded off the wicket and resulted in another slips catch, Old Boys had lost 4-4 and were 6-107.

A tough catch was put down off White’s bowling, but then Walters’s final over was a wicket-maiden with Chase Wilson hooking a catch to square leg.

Old Boys sank to 8-116 when Rhyce Kliendienst was ruled lbw to White, although it appeared the batter had edged the ball onto his pad.

Walters and teammate Jonah Cameron were unable to bowl more than six overs in a spell due to being under 18 years of age, although Walters seemed to run out of energy.

The pressure mounted, as a run-out chance was squandered before the next ball from Cameron narrowly missed the edge of the bat.

Another delivery contained two runs from overthrows as well as two run-out chances that went begging.

Old Boys’ target was 18 runs away, when White plucked a brilliant one-handed catch at short mid-wicket off Sam Doubleday’s bowling.

Another three runs were added before Cameron sent down a loose ball outside off-stump, with Muhammad Faizan Karamat lobbing it towards mid-off where Matthew Heit held the catch to seal Gunnedah’s triumph.

With Gunnedah starting its second innings around 3.30pm, there was virtually no chance of an outright result.

The hosts made 1-48 in 18 overs before the game was called off.

Gunnedah’s second innings was marred by frivolous appealing and stifled appeals, and there were calls of “catch it” when no catch was possible.

Doubleday was bowled for 18 in the 10th over, before Gallen struck three fours and a six in his 19 not out.

Justin Carter finished on 11 not out.

Having also had one win in the one-day format, Gunnedah moved to fourth and relegated Old Boys to last on the five-team ladder.

Gunnedah’s skipper said the pitch “had a bit of spice in it early” on day two before turning into a flat track.

“We were lucky the gods were on our side there, and blessed us with a bit of moisture in the wicket and the boys just really showed up today, ripped in and bowled (in) the right areas,” he said.

Gallen said putting the ball in the right areas made his job 100 times easier, and that he was able to set fields that he hadn’t been able to do all year.

Gallen rated Cameron as close to Gunnedah’s best bowler “without any luck”, while Walters gave the opposition “a bit of curry” after watching former South African quick Dale Steyn on YouTube in the morning.

Gallen said he hoped Gunnedah could “cause a bit of a stir in the second half of the season, and hopefully play some finals”.

This Saturday, Gunnedah and the second-placed Bective East face off in a T20 clash at Wolseley Park.

Gunnedah 144 (Ben Irwin 30; Hayden Baker 4-49, Lawson Shepherd 2-12) and 1-48 defeated Old Boys 130 (Harrison Hamilton 31, Lawson Shepherd 30; Keaton Walters 5-14, Ash White 3-29) by 14 runs on the first innings.