Mike Muldoon made 16 for Northern against Hunter Valley yesterday. 091012RCD07
WESTERN might have lost its second game straight when 125-run losers to Tamworth Blue in their NSW Veterans Cricket Championship clash at Dick Edwards Oval yesterday but it didn’t dent the enthusiasm of the “make-up” side.
After last year’s carnival winners posted 222 runs in their 40 overs, Western fell for 97.
Tamworth’s Dave Williamson (25) topscored for Western while Bob Douglas (10) was the only other batsman to reach double figures.
Walcha’s George Lyon (3-8) and Robert “Truck” Laurie (2-6) starred with the ball for Tamworth Blue while Ron Farrell, Peter Virgen, Terry Murphy and Col Barton all picked up wickets.
Barton (32 retired) and Virgen (30 ret) were also amongst the runs, with skipper Albie Barwick (28), Bob Haling (29), Mike Cashman (30) and Walcha’s Peter Boyd (31 retired) also figuring.
Western skipper is Gil McGrath, a bowler of note although no relation to the former Test bowling star Glenn McGrath.
“We’ve just started up,” he said of the Western vets’ association based around Lithgow, Mudgee, Bathurst and the Blue Mountains.
“All of our guys are okay to play weekends but not during the week. We’ve only got 15.”
Of that 15, just McGrath and a couple of others are available to play during the week.
‘We’ve got two or three more coming from Lithgow,” he said yesterday.
“So they made us a scratch side, with the other teams providing their 12th men to give them a game and have a bit of fun too.”
It gives the carnival eight teams and no bye.
McGrath said the competition was all about fun and fellowship.
“Most of the guys know each other and keep meeting at the various carnivals,” he said.
“It’s a good level of cricket too. Most of the players in all the teams have played first grade cricket but some haven’t played for 15 or 20 years.”
He and Graeme Danagher have come from Lithgow, with a few more joining them in Tamworth today from down south in time for the match against Central Coast at TRECC.
Central Coast beat Quirindi by five wickets at Scully Park yesterday with Bill Moffatt (30 ret), Greg Briggs (24), Gordon Ives (26) and Ken Campbell (22no) instrumental in the winning run chase.
Quirindi made 131 after Greg Tideman’s 40 topscored.
He and Peter Jenkins (17) gave Quirindi a great 40-run opening stand before Greg Buscombe (4-18) led a bowling fightback.
Jim Stewart, who made 19, was best of the Quirindi bowlers, claiming 2-17 while Jenkins also claimed 2-11.
At Belmore Park, Hunter Valley, which will be strengthened by former Test legspinner Bob “Dutch” Holland today, had a nine wicket win over Northern.
After knocking over Northern for 121, Hunter Valley lost just the one wicket in the run chase.
Jeff Perkins (26), Dennis Cameron (20) and Rowan Chandler (14) topscored for Northern after Australian Over 60 reps John Fryer (3-22) and Tony Paterson (2-11) had ripped through the top order.
Paterson also retired on 31 in the run chase with Ian Hodge (30 ret), Mick Gallagher (28) and Peter Fleming (21no) belting a four over mid wicket to finish the game.
At Riverside 2, Sydney chased down the Tamworth Gold 127 with 6-127.
Dennis Stevenson (30 ret), Stirling Hamman (26) and Tony Wright (23no) led the way while Brian Wellings captured 4-14 for the Gold after he had also made 14 in a Gold total where Chris Crowell (40) and skipper Noel Cook (32) had topscored.
Tony Wright’s 3-15 was best for Sydney while Brian Scott claimed 2-12.
