And so it turned out to be as South Tamworth’s 143 was good enough to beat Bective-East’s 111 in their Tamworth first grade minor semi final yesterday.

South Tamworth batted patiently all Saturday, finishing 8-134 with skipper James Psarakis top scoring with 55 from 168 balls.

Yesterday Bective took two quick wickets to finish South but they lost quick wickets as well and were dismissed for 111 after South Tamworth seamer, Sam McHugh, had bowled a brilliant spell.

The Kiwi pilot bowled 32 overs straight from the southern end to claim 7-38.

It included 15 maidens.

“Before we went out today Sam came up to me and told me he wanted to bowl a long spell,” South skipper James Psarakis said.

“He backed himself from the start, had a plan and bowled to it. He was awesome, great to have him back for the last couple of rounds. He can bat too.

“And handy having a genuine quick like Angus too. He bowled well, but the boys, Gus, Ossie and Hammo supported Sam really well.”

South opening bowler Angus McNeill chipped in with 3-34 from his 17.2 overs as well to sink the Bulls despite a 32-run final wicket stand from Rod Fensbo (14no) and Lachlan Davidson (20).

Matt Everett (25) and Jye Paterson (25) had earlier topscored for Bective.

“It was a big effort from Rod and Lockie,” skipper Nick Pearson said.

“We gave them (Souths) a fright. But it was a disappointing batting effort from us.

“Although it wasn’t that we played bad shots, more that Sam bowled very well.”

Pearson rued a season that showed much promise again.

“Another season where we’ve got to the semis but done nothing,” he said.

He thought his bowlers toiled exceptionally well.

“Jenko and Smythy were great, they toiled hard for us and deserved the five wickets each,” he said.

“They bowled tremendously well.”

Former South left arm seamer Col Smyth had started the semi well trapping Country keeper Tom Groth leg before for eight, a vital wicket that had the Souths faithful groaning and Groth standing stunned at the crease.

While Psarakis topscored with 55 South’s only other batsmen to reach double figures were opener Bryce Natty (32) and Nick Leyden (14).

Smyth finished Saturday with 4-44 from 27 overs, which included  14 maidens in a marathon spell, including three wicket-maidens.

Brad Jenkinson was the other successful bowler, the allrounder claiming 4-30 from his 24 overs Saturday, 11 of which were also maidens.

Lachlan Davidson (0-28 off 11), Rod Fensbo (0-14) and Adam Jones (0-14) were the other bowlers used Saturday.

Sunday morning Bective took little time to wrap up the South innings with both Col Smyth (5-49) and Brad Jenkinson (5-34) adding a wicket apiece.

However the Bulls didn’t start their chase well with Nick Pearson bowled by Angus McNeill and then Adam Jones leg before to Sam McHugh for eight.

Skipper Matt Everett (25) looked to have weathered those early setbacks but when he tried to stop a ball rolling back onto his stumps from Sam McHugh he was third out at 55 and then McHugh added two more scalps just before lunch when James Haling (5) and Wally Allen (0) were both caught.

Bective were 5-70 at lunch with McHugh having the imposing figures of 4-19 off his 19.4 overs.

Reeling at 9-79 Fensbo and Davidson scored 32 in a brave final fling before Angus McNeill ended their hopes and earned a preliminary final berth against North Tamworth this weekend.