FOLLOWING two days of horrible conditions in Armidale, the sun once again shone on the NSW Over 60s Cricket Championships in Armidale as both Tamworth sides did battle with their Sydney counterparts for a chance at the title.
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On Wednesday, conditions dropped to just seven degrees in the middle, with a biting wind coming off the surrounding snow-capped ranges dropping that even further on the back of a stormy Tuesday.
Yesterday, both Tamworth sides were involved in must win games, although only one of them would go through to today’s finals.
Tamworth Blue batted first on a tough wicket in the top division and a slow start saw it only able to score 45 off the first 20 overs.
Tom Kellett opened the batting and held one end down to grind out a well-played 35 retired in tough conditions.
Bob Haling came in at first drop and did the same before Tom’s brother Greg Kellett opened the shoulders at the back end.
He knocked the Sydney bowlers around the ground for a quickfire 35 that helped Tamworth score 113 off the last 20 overs to post a total of 5-158.
The Tamworth boys were confident they could defend that score on the tough wicket, and they were almost right.
Tamworth captain Chris Crowell said the pitch undulated a bit and had some very unreliable bounce.
That bounce was tested out by Tamworth opening quicks Ian Kitching and Mike Morgan who had the metro men tied down and struggling at 2-18 at the end of their spell, Morgan taking both early wickets.
Terry Murphy then came on and had them playing at air at times, getting plenty of spin out of the wicket, the leggie taking three and causing the middle order collapse.
Hamman showed his experience to steady the ship with a 37, partnering Warwick Diblin (34) before keeper Cam McDonald blasted Sydney home with a quick 33 not out to get it over the line with six balls to spare.
Sydney will meet the Mid North Coast Sharks in the final today while Tamworth will play Lismore Emerging Greys for third place.
“It was a really good game of cricket,” Crowell said.
“We fielded well and took our chances but probably just lacked a bowler.”
At Moran Oval Chris’s father Doug Crowell was either hedging his bets, or helping out as he is renowned to do, pulling on a Sydney 2 shirt and playing for the opposition in division 2.
Doug Truman, Noel Cook and Ron Farrell got Tamworth off to a flyer with the bat, beating the previously undefeated Sydney side to give themselves a chance to win the Doug Crowell Trophy in its first year and with Crowell on the field.
“It is a great honour to have the trophy named after me,” Crowell said.
Crowell and his crew of seasoned players will take on locals UNEX at TAS for the inaugural division 2 title while Tamworth Blue will play Newcastle at Rologas before the division 1 final between Sydney 1 and the Mid North Coast Sharks at the Armidale Sportsground this afternoon.
