Tamworth’s LachlanBarton took the game away from Hastings at Riverside 2 yesterday with a great opener’s knock to book a spot in the Ken Falkenmire Shield final against an unbeaten Coffs Harbour side today.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Coffs had their place booked even before they handed Armidale a 140 run hiding yesterday at Riverside 3, although the other spot was up for grabs with four sides in the chase and run rate an important factor at the beginning of the day.
Tamworth and Hastings were placed second and third at the start of the day’s play and battled it out on Riverside 2.
All week Tamworth all-rounder Joe Doherty has been serving it up to opposition sides and he didn’t hold back again, taking four wickets and a catch for Tamworth as they bowled Hastings out for a respectable 150 – but it was Lachie Barton’s day.
Barton cleaned up what proved to be a pretty stubborn tail to finish with figures of 3-20 off nine overs, before ripping the game out of the visitors’ hands with some aggressive opening batting.
Three of Barton’s first four scoring shots were boundaries, as the young batsmen raced to a half century.
He hit seven boundaries before he holed out for 60, but by then Tamworth were 3-92.
A cool-headed Nathan Watts then guided the side home with a 24 not out to hit the total with five overs to spare, although a few late wickets and a retirement had coach Clive Barton biting his nails.
“We needed to win and we did that,” Barton said.
“Lachie (Barton) took the game away and made it easy for the rest of the team.”
The coach will be looking to bat first today, with runs on the board winning most games during the week.
Coffs Harbour beat Tamworth on day one, and haven’t lost a game here in two years.
Manager Brenden Cunningham said half the side were here last year when they did the clean sweep, and are looking to do it again.
“The boys are playing really well as a team,” Cunningham said.
“When someone doesn’t perform another stands up.”
They too will be looking to bat first after using scoreboard pressure in four out of their five games this week.
Armidale where quickly taken out of the race by a clinical Coffs Harbour with Harry Parker and Liam Watson-Merritt not missing out, both not out with 93 and 63 respectively.
The only highlight from the New England side was the showmanship of 11 year old Dom Ferguson batting at number 10.
Some David Boon style leaves were only outdone by Ferguson lifting the bat after he got one on the ball and again when he made the first of his two runs.
Across on Dick Edwards Oval the Barbarians where chasing a win and an increased run rate to snare a finals berth.
West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook were out of the running for today’s final but were out to claim a scalp, and did.
Todd Hutchinson (18) and Oliver Maybury (16) were the top run scorers, although almost everyone chipped in, as well as a healthy sundries column to set the Baa Baas 127 for victory.
Rowan Love and James Reynolds then tore through the Barbarians top order as the first five batsmen left for just 10 runs, including three donuts.
A half century from Connor Robinson at number six was only a highlight as his side crumbled around him under some good pressure from the fielding side to be all out for 104.
The Barbarians will meet Hastings today at Riverside 8, with WPHC playing Armidale on Riverside 9.
Coffs Harbour will meet the hosts in the final at No. 1 Oval with all games starting at 9.30am.
Points going into the final day: Coffs Harbour 24pts 2.0168, Tamworth 19pts 1.1950, Hastings 15pts 1.1250, Barbarians 15pts 0.7409, Armidale 15 points 0.7178, WPHCB 10pts 0.8033.
