Central North’s title hopes were knocked for six by North Coast at Singleton’s James Cook Park yesterday.

Central North needed to win to give itself any chance of making the final.

But North Coast was too good, bowling Central North out for 135 and then chasing the runs three wickets down.

“They were too classy with the bat,” Central North co-coach Tony Meppem said.

He didn’t think they batted too badly.

He and co-coaches Graham Kent and Barry Smith would have liked 150 or more, but were reasonably happy with 135.

“We got a pretty good start,” Meppem said.

Tamworth’s Matt Hughes (22) and Jayden Muddle (15) put on 32 for the opening stand.

“They pegged us back with three quick wickets,” Meppem said.

After losing Hughes, Central North lost 4-3, at one point 3-0, and at 5-47 were looking a bit shaky.

Armidale’s Lochlan Elks (37) and Jamie Krake (30) came to the rescue to get things going again with a 75-run stand for the sixth wicket, but the innings didn’t last long after they departed.

The coastal side then never looked in danger of not getting the runs.

“Their batters came out and blew us away,” Meppem said.

“They batted well and with pretty good intent to score.” 

They were looking to lift their net run rate, and batted accordingly, and the Central North bowlers had no answers.

“At the end of the day we just needed to get early wickets,” he said.

They struggled with that, not picking up their first wicket until the 12th over.

Narrabri’s Ryan Meppem provided the initial breakthrough.

Pat Magann was the pick of the bowlers.

He opened the bowling and bowled well, Meppem said, as he had done all carnival.