EASTS remained unbeaten and Armidale City chased down Hillgrove Colts to continue their rise up the Armidale first grade cricket ladder on a Saturday. The shinning light of the round was new East batsman Jock Cartwright shone.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Cartwright blasted a century for his new club as they finished their 45 overs with 9-256 and then ripped out Ex-Services for just 69 at Lambert Park while reigning premiers Hillgrove made 5-210 at Armidale Sportsground with Michael Dawson (82no) and Matt Baillie (62) top scoring only for City to chase down the good total with an over and a bit to spare.
City skipper Steve Butler was delighted with the result.
“We’re showing good signs,” the left arm spinning allrounder said.
“We had to field with 10 men for 27 overs too. And we were playing on a really flat wicket as well.
“Hillgrove looked in control at times too.”‘Karl (Triebe) bowled a really good first spell for us but Dawso and Matt (Baillie) were batting pretty well.”
Butler changed that when he caught and bowled Baillie as he finished with 3-42 from his 12 overs.
Triebe impressed but copped some late treatment to snare 1-64 from his 12 and Adam Sweeney celebrated his 24th birthday by capturing 1-58 from his 10 overs.
“We started (run chase) well too and were 0-85 at the first drinks break,” Butler said.
“However the break brought a wicket with Kyle Taylor (37) and Brad Smith (33) parting.
Triebe went in for a little bit of switch hitting and top scored with 43 while Cam Mundy knocked up a good 41 for the City side to reach 5-211 in the 42nd of 43 overs.
“I was really impressed with the boys today despite missing two bowlers, Matt Morrow and Andrew Skinner, who couldn’t bowl because he arrived too late.”
Hillgrove skipper Brad King lamented his lack of new ball strike power.
“We’ve said it all season so far, we’re going to have to score 300 if we’re going to win games,” he said.
His teenage son, Harrison King, and off-spinner Scott Brennan, were best of the Hillgrove bowlers, snaring 2-42 and 2-41 respectively from their 12 overs while Lachlan Elks was the other wicket taker, going for 1-42 from his six overs.
At Lambert Park Jock Cartwright registered his first century for the club since the paramedic turned up at the start of the season. He and left arm off-spinning Todd Francis (57) had a good third wicket partnership against a young attack best served by DJ Yeomans.
“He’s a good young player,” said stand-in skipper Will Green.
“He’s going well for a 17-year-old. He’s been impressive every week and this takes his wicket tally to 10 or 12 for the season so far.”
Braden Graham also bowled well without luck and young leg spinner Nathan Withnell is also improving every week.
Ex-Services batting fell apart though with Cliff Smith (22) the top scorer and Green (11) and Braden Graham (11) the only other batsmen to reach double figures.
Sam Constance was the main destroyer for Easts, claiming 4-27 with his right arm seamers.
“He bowled with a fair bit of zip too,” said East skipper Sam Uphill.
“Todd (Francis) also bowled, took four wickets to make it a good day for him while Tyson Burey and Justin McKay also grabbed wickets.
“That’s four from four now. And we’ll be at full strength next week. We’ve got two to come back in and just where I’m going to fit them I don’t know.”
It’s a happy headache to have, he joked.
