BOWLERS dominated the Northern Inland Cricket Council Cup (NICC) Finals in Tamworth on Sunday as two of Tamworth’s most talented cricketers – Tom Groth and James Psarakis – carried off major awards.
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NSW Country keeper Groth was named the NICC’s player of the season again while Psarakis was awarded the Falkenmire Salver as NICC Colt of the Year.
A State Under 17 representative this season, Psarakis will also captain the Central North Colts at this weekend’s Country Under 19 Championships in Coffs Harbour.
He will then rejoin Groth and his Tamworth teammates to play in the March 2 Coalboard Cup at Scone.
Tamworth will play the winner of the Hunter Valley Cricket Council’s John Bull Shield in that traditional match.
“We’ve had a good season,” Groth said after Sunday’s War Veterans Cup Final success and his NICC award.
“But we’ve got one more game to go, the Coalboard Cup.
“It would be great to win that. It would top off a good season.”
That local season was highlighted by Sunday’s success at Dick Edwards Oval where Tamworth’s pacemen routed Armidale for 112 to set up a 10 wicket War Veterans Cup win and notch an 11th straight WVC.
Angus McNeil (4-27), Col Smyth (2-25) and Jack McVey (3-26) ripped through the visitors, with left-arm spinner Stuart Plant (1-13) grabbing the other wicket.
Opening bats Simon Norvill (78no) and Nick Pearson (29no) then raced to 115 inside 14 overs, Norvill’s 78 coming off 45 balls.
Young Emu tourist, Michael Dawson, was Armidale’s best, finishing with 38 (101 balls).
Ben Welch (12) and Brad Smith (13) got starts while Steve Butler (14) fought a gallant rearguard action and was last man out, caught in the covers by Plant off McVey.
Norvill was named man of the match.
At Max Sutton Oval, it was a similar story.
Moree batted and was dismissed for 130, with Mick Davison (30), Jordan Cosh (21), Ben Legg (10), Ben Day (10), Kyle O’Connor (12) and skipper Chris Holland (11no) all making it to double figures but no one was able to go on.
Deklan Baker was named man of the match after finishing with 4-56 from his 10 overs while fellow opening bowler Will Howard (2-15), Richard Bullock (1-18) and off-spinner Will Chesterfield (3-23) all struck.
Shaun Stevenson (25) and Adam Lole (50no) put on 60 for the opening wicket and then Lole and Layne Berry (27) added 62 in an unbroken third wicket stand to finish 2-133.
That win earned the Tamworth Second XI a berth in the 2TMO Cup at Scone against the winner of the Hunter Valley Cricket Council’s RA Dransfield trophy.
That will be played March 2, the same day as the Tamworth side plays the winner of the John Bull Shield for the Coalboard Cup.
Psarakis has also had a busy season and, while he was a part of the winning Tamworth War Veterans Cup side on Sunday and named NICC Colt Of The Year, he will captain the Central North Under 19 side in the Country Colts Championship at Coffs Harbour.
That team also includes Tamworth Second XI skipper Matt Everett.
The carnival starts Friday.
