Rowena/Burren Junction batsman Liam Rogers gets bat on ball in yesterday’s game against Tamworth Public in Tamworth. Photo: Barry Smith 100912BSB01
TAMWORTH Public School produced a successful run chase that even surprised themselves in yesterday’s regional semi-final of the PSSA boys’ cricket knockout.
The Tamworth boys took on a combined Rowena-Burren Junction side in Tamworth and found the kids from the smaller schools knew how to handle a bat.
Rowena-Burren batted first and made 6-131 after a great third-wicket partnership put Tamworth under a lot of pressure.
Jake Sevil did most of the damage and helped the visitors reach 2-70 at drinks.
But he fell soon after for 33 and that helped keep the total down.
Bray Bursle took 3-20 for Tamworth while Lachie Barton (1-17) and Jack Diebold (1-12) were also good with the ball.
Even so, 131 was a good total.
“We were a bit rusty,” coach Barry Everingham said.
“We bowled a few wides and no balls.
“The ground fielding was good though.
“But Burren-Rowena had a couple of kids who were good bats.
“They were 2-70 at drinks and we were in a bit of trouble.
“But we stuck to it.”
The chase started badly but picked up momentum when Ben Gamlin and AJ Pretorius came together.
They got their eye in quickly and Rowena-Burren couldn’t remove them.
Gamlin retired on 40 and Pretorius reached 43 before also retiring.
“They really smashed them when they got going,” Everingham said.
“They started bowling a few no balls as well and the boys hit the loose balls well.
“Their running between wickets was good too because they were pushing the field back to stop the boundaries and we were able to pick up ones and twos.”
Diebold then added 14 late in the innings as Tamworth got the runs with a few overs to spare.
“We were pretty impressed that a couple of small schools had some good bats,” Everingham said.
“They were a bit unlucky and a couple of their good batsmen got good balls, but that’s cricket.”
Tamworth Public now faces Tamworth South in the regional final.