GUNNEDAH scraped through the first Country Shield round, beating Narrabri by one run after the visitors recorded five ducks in the middle order batting first at Gunnedah’s Wolesley Park yesterday.
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It was a low-scoring affair that had it all, including a scorebook error that almost handed Narrabri the win, and a ball reminiscent of Shane Warne’s ball of the century from young Narrabri offie Jake Brayshaw.
The last ball of the day saw Gunnedah’s Jared Smith sky a Brayshaw ball to Ryan Meppem leaving Narrabri at 9-79, supposedly chasing 79.
Country Shield rules award tied matches to the visiting side but, just before the celebrations began for Narrabri, it was discovered the scorebooks didn’t match up.
A no-ball was not recorded in the 12th over of the Gunnedah innings in one book.
With the Gunnedah total now 80, the team was awarded the match, and even captain Andy Mack was disappointed for his Namoi neighbours.
“It is a tough way to go out,” Mack said.
“It probably shows where both teams’ batting is at the moment.”
Next weekend the two ventures will join to create a Namoi side to contest the new-look War Veterans Cup.
“We will have to be better than that,” Mack said.
Narrabri opener Nick Smart played a smart innings to topscore with 44, more than half of Narrabri’s final total and the only player to break into double figures.
“Tom O’Neill put the screws on them early,” Mack said.
The quick put on a great spell of fast bowling to have 4-9 after four overs.
O’Neill got the captain’s nod for best on ground after finishing with 5-17 from eight overs.
Narrabri captain Lachlan Cameron was O’Neill’s second victim at number three.
A very short ball caught the edge of a hole in the wicket and rocketed along the ground into Cameron’s boot.
“Only I would get out LBW to a short ball,” Cameron said.
Two more ducks followed before a nine from Luke Meppem, which was followed by another two ducks.
Daniel Kahl and Brendon Ward adding 15 runs to limp to 79.
Gunnedah thought it might have had it in the bag but quickly found itself on the ropes when the top six bats contributed a combined 23 runs.
Dylan Segundo and Chris Higgins both did early damage with the new ball.
Mack and his brother James found themselves at 6-44 at lunch, needing 35 to win.
James put on a handy 19 before Brayshaw took his first of four wickets when the batsmen lobbed one square to a waiting Luke Meppem.
Brayshaw then took the skipper’s wicket before O’Neill copped one of Brayshaw’s best.
Floating down leg side the umpire was already about to call a wide when it jagged a long way back to take leg stump.
O’Neill looked around, a la Mike Gatting, then looked at the keeper and walked off a bit bewildered.
Brayshaw claimed it to be his wrong-un as he celebrated the ball with his team, before the spinner ended the game an over later.
Narrabri will have to wait for the Connolly Cup to come together again, although a few of them will play for Namoi next week.
The team will be named tonight and will clash with North Tamworth in the War Vets Cup next Sunday.
