TAMWORTH’s Old Boys and North Tamworth registered victories against combined visiting sides in the revamped War Veterans Cup at Riverside on Saturday.
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Sundries cost both Namoi (combined Gunnedah and Narrabri) and New England on very dry wickets and fast outfields.
Tamworth first grade premiers Old Boys carried on their winning ways with a 21-run defeat of a Namoi side dominated by Gunnedah players.
Just two Narrabri players played under the Namoi banner while North just beat New England on the back of some good batting from new English import Jack Beaumont.
At Dick Edwards Oval, Old Boys won the toss and sent run machine Simon Norvill to the crease and weren’t disappointed.
Fellow opener Adam Lole was trapped in front by Troy Sands for 11 but by that stage the local side was 54 from just seven overs, Norvill’s 44 coming from just 15 scoring shots, including six fours and a six.
When Lole left, captain Ben Middlebrook occupied the crease and joined the fun, his top score of 53 coming from just 20 scoring shots.
Old Boys looked like they were on their way to a huge score when they were just 3-145 after 20 overs of the 40-over match.
The game then suddenly swung Namoi’s way as it took 7-34 and dismissed Old Boys for 179 in the 35th over.
Tom O’Neill and Dylan Segundo made up for 13 wides each by cleaning up the final five wickets for just 16 runs.
A massive 33 wides cost the combined side, which fell just 17 runs short.
Cameron Milne got the ball rolling with a hard-earned 26 at the top before Andy Mack (54) provided a great captain’s knock down the order.
Old Boys tightened their bowling up to squeeze Namoi out of the game at the death as they finished on 8-160.
Aaron Hazlewood, Will Chesterfield and Middlebrook took two wickets a piece.
Across the road, New England looked to be on top after five of the batsmen made starts above 20 for 6-192.
Brad Smith (35) and Todd Francis (31) were the stand-outs.
At 3-99 at the halfway mark it was anyone’s game, but then a three-wicket over from 16-year-old Lachlan Elks turned the game on its head.
Two wickets and a run-out had New England on top, especially since one of those wickets caught Englishman Beaumont out on 49 after he looked set to go on with it.
Fortunately for North, Joe Holt came to the fore and steered the Redback ship home with just 15 balls and two wickets remaining.
With an unbeaten 16 last week, Beaumont is boasting an average of 65 since flying in a few weeks ago.
“We are two from two now and I am loving the conditions,” Beaumont said.