After Narrabri took the honours in the first installment of their Twenty20 challenge, the pressure was on Gunnedah to win to keep their hopes of collecting the silverware alive.

They delivered accordingly, cracking 7-144 from their 20 overs on the back of a blistering near half century from Andy Mack.

Farran Lamb then sent Narrabri’s chase nosediving, taking 4-4 as they were skittled for just 73 in the 15th over.

The seamer snared three of the four wickets in his first over, with Narrabri slumping from 5-65 to 8-67 in the space of an over.

His effort completed the work done early by openers Troy Sands and Ben Haire, who restricted Narrabri to just 3-31 from the first eight overs.

They bowled tight lines and made it difficult for the Narrabri batsmen to keep in touch with the run-rate, with big-hitting opener Mick Dowdell pinned down to a top-score of just 18 from 31 balls.

Michael Miskle was the only other batsmen to reach double figures.

He hit 16 before being run out through some smart work between Jamie Mitchell and keeper John Brady.

It was one of three run-outs the home side affected.

“The boys fielded and bowled well,” Gunnedah skipper Ben Middlebrook said.

“And they actually batted pretty disciplined. It was a much-improved batting display on what they showed at Narrabri (first game) and on the weekend.”

Mack set the foundation smashing 48 in a 38-ball stay that included five fours and a six.

He and Middlebrook (15) put on a 26-run opening stand in four overs to set the tone, Mack eventually being run out in the 14th over with the score on 97.

Mitchell (15), Wade Ryan (21) and Bon Winsor (16) kept the score ticking along, with Ryan launching consecutive sixes.

Sam Bullen was the best of the Narrabri attack picking up 3-22.

Daniel Cope (1-21), Ed Pavey (1-25) and Lachlan Cameron (1-34) shared the remaining wickets.