First graders finish in style, avoid wooden spoon

Gunnedah’s first graders concluded their maiden season in the Tamworth District Cricket Association (TDCA) with a four-wicket win against South Tamworth at Chaffey Park last Sunday.

It was only Gunnedah’s second triumph of the season, and it enabled Gunnedah to finish in fifth place on the ladder while relegating Souths to last in the six-team competition.

Gunnedah’s first win of the season was also against Souths, while two other head-to-head fixtures involving the two teams were washed out.

The two teams were scheduled to play a two-day game at Riverside 2 last weekend, but day one was abandoned after a water leak affected part of the playing arena.

The teams agreed to play a limited overs match the following day, as Chaffey Park was available.

It turned out to be a fitting farewell for retiring Gunnedah captain Andy Mack, albeit after he was adjudged lbw for a single run.

Souths tallied 162 runs for the loss of nine wickets, before Gunnedah overcame several hiccups to seal victory with one over to spare.

Kyle Gallen stood out with the bat while Izaak Merlehan and Ash White made a decisive impact with bat and ball.

Another memorable moment was Darrin Cameron and son Jonah playing first grade together after they had played together in the lower grades. Darrin kept wicket last Sunday, including when Jonah bowled after the dad had also been a wicketkeeper while his son bowled beforehand.

Souths opener Jon Stone hit the second ball of the game to the boundary off Nick Millar’s bowling, and went on to score 28 in an opening stand of 42 before he was caught-and-bowled by Millar.

Stone’s opening partner Mark Lawrence was run out without the addition of a run, before White and Merlehan grabbed a wicket each with the total in the 50s.

White won an lbw appeal with the total at 78, before a 40-run stand was followed by the loss of three wickets for six runs.

Daniel Lawrence was caught by Miller at square leg off Merlehan, before top-scorer Tom Groth fell for 39 as he was caught by Mack at mid-off from Jonah Cameron’s bowling.

The eighth wicket fell as Merlehan bowled Nat Young, but the momentum turned again as the tail-enders scored some vital runs.

Hamish George finished with 15 not out at number 10, while Luke Walker contributed three to an unbroken 16-run final wicket stand after Merlehan nabbed his fourth scalp.

Justin Carter scored two runs from the first ball of the run chase, but they were his only runs before Patrick Matautaava had him caught behind from the first ball of the second over.

Miller was also caught behind for a single-figure score, and Mack’s dismissal left his team 3-23 before Merlehan combined with Kyle Gallen for a match-turning partnership.

Gallen hit nine fours in his 60 at number three while Merlehan made 29 at number five, before Matautaava dismissed them both as Gunnedah went from a solid 3-102 to a shaky 5-104.

White dominated the scoring in the vital sixth wicket partnership as he found vital support from Jack Hayes, who was bowled for 19 while victory was just two runs away.

White finished on 38 not out, and Peter McCormack hit the winning runs as he drove the third ball he faced through the covers for four.

Gunnedah 6-165 (Kyle Gallen 60, Ash White 38 not out, Izaak Merlehan 29; Patrick Matautaava 4-46, Bryan Warren 2-37) defeated South Tamworth 9-162 (Tom Groth 39; Izaak Merlehan 4-47, Ash White 2-41) by four wickets.