Gunnedah’s fourth graders returned to winning form in the Tamworth District Cricket Association (TDCA) season last Saturday, as they trounced West Tamworth by 75 runs at Donnelly Fields.
Undefeated half-centuries to Ken Walters, Zafar Mukhtar and Ryan Cooper set up a commanding total of 6-248 in 40 overs, before Cooper captured four wickets as Wests was dismissed with 10 overs to spare.
Wests tumbled to 7-77 before a lower order revival added some respectability to the total.
Gunnedah’s Oscar Middlebrook scored 16 in an opening stand of 44 before he departed in the 11th over, and incredibly another wicket did not fall until the total was 223 in the 33rd over.
Middlebrook’s dismissal brought Mukhtar to the crease, and soon the boundaries flowed.
Walters’s seventh four took him to 48, before two singles took him to the retirement score.
Mukhtar hit seven fours and two sixes, with his final four also raising his 50.
Cooper opened his account with a two and then scored four singles, before launching a furious assault on the bowling as the remainder of his innings featured seven fours, three sixes and a single.
One over contained 30 runs including three sixes and two fours, as well as some sundries.
A total around 280 was possible before the momentum stalled, as the final seven overs yielded only 25 runs for the loss of five wickets.
Ed Martin was at the non-striker’s end during much of the carnage, while he quietly and unobtrusively worked his way to 35 which included four fours.
The Wests bowlers gave up 14 runs in wides and five in no-balls, while there were also 10 byes.
The first three Wests batters were caught, with Ken Walters taking a fine running catch near cow corner.
The fourth and fifth batters were run out, before a couple of lower order players were bowled without scoring.
Joshua Forwood hit eight fours in his 39 at number 10, and last man Craig Lagenbaker could boast that he registered the only six in the run chase.
Bayley Reid found the boundary nine times in his 46, and was the last batter dismissed as he was bowled while seeking another four which would have produced a half-century.
Play continued despite a shower in the latter part of the innings, before a rainbow appeared and was subsequently replaced with sunshine.
With three wins (including one on forfeit), one loss and a washout, Gunnedah found itself one point behind the equal-second North Tamworth Redbacks and Quirindi.
Gunnedah and the Redbacks face off at Donnelly Fields this Saturday, with the Redbacks coming off a five-wicket win against the fifth-placed City United.
Gunnedah 6-248 (Ryan Cooper 53 retired, Ken Walters 50 retired, Zafar Mukhtar 50 retired; Ray Dening 4-23) defeated Wests 173 (Bayley Reid 46, Joshua Forwood 39; Ryan Cooper 4-29) by 75 runs.
