CENTRAL North selectors have had plenty to ponder following Sunday’s Central North trial in Tamworth and, in some instances, were left none the wiser.
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The batsmen generally failed to fire.
The bowlers were the saviours for Northern Inland, with Adam Jones (22), Harrison Kelly (62) and skipper Tom Groth (10) the only three of the recognised batsmen to reach double figures.
Quicks Karle Triebe (21), Angus McNeill (31) and Col Smyth (32no) chipped in with the rest to get Northern Inland to 214.
Hunter Valley could then only muster 144 in reply and had a similarly dismal scorecard, with Jacob Carey (36) and Josh Callinan (35) the only two of the top seven to really put their hands up for selection in the zone side to contest the Country Championships.
They’ll be held in Ballina on November 21-23.
The batting display certainly wasn’t what selectors Richard Bullock and Peter Nichols were hoping to see.
That said, No.1 has been a tough wicket to bat on, Bullock said.
“It’s a pitch you need to get forward on. A few blokes didn’t and paid the price for it,” he said.
From Sunday, he and Nichols were going to put down some names to confer with fellow selector Terry Browne.
Browne couldn’t be at the trial.
He was in Coffs Harbour coaching the Central North U19s.
Some of those will come into consideration for the opens side, with skipper James Psarakis and Riley Ayre two who spring to mind.
Bullock said they would also look at club form.
The likes of Old Boys skipper Ben Middlebrook has been in brilliant form, but missed out on Sunday.
One player who did impress was Kelly.
He lifted Northern Inland out of the doldrums with a brilliant knock.
First with Groth, he took them from 5-46 to 6-103, and then with Triebe added 34 for the eighth wicket.
“It’s good to have him back,” Groth said.
It was an attacking knock too, with Kelly facing just 51 balls for his 62 and smacking 13 fours.
Fresh from his six-wicket haul on Saturday, he then came out and took 1-24 and was, in Groth’s mind, the pick of the bowlers.
All the bowlers though did a good job.
“Our bowling was pleasing and our fielding was good,” Groth said.
It was hard toil for the batsmen, particularly towards the end with the pitch flattening out.
McNeill and Jack McVey both nabbed two while Smyth followed up his heroics with the bat with 4-32.
Earlier, Lincoln Mills (4-64) and Joe Leighton (3-37) were the main destroyers for Hunter, Mills impressing Bullock.
He was the one who really had Northern Inland on its heels.