Central North’s McDonald’s Country Colts title defence suffered a first day set-back with a 14-run loss to Riverina at Dubbo’s Lady Cutler Oval No.1 on Friday.
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After winning the toss and sending Riverina in, Central North’s bowlers made early inroads with wickets to Lachie Davidson, Tom Scoble and Jacob Page leaving Riverina 3-36 after 16 overs.
That then became 6-87 with Ryan Meppem joining the wicket party. But the wickets dried up from there with Mitchell Cleeland (76) and Luke Doherty (61) putting on 139 for the seventh wicket to lift Riverina to 7-227 off their 50 overs.
“We just lost our way,” Central North assistant coach Ben Middlebrook said.
“A couple of the Riverina boys battled well and we didn’t bring enough energy in the field and missed a couple of chances.”
Scoble was the pick of the quicks with 2-36 off eight. Davidson was also very good in his first spell going for just five from his first five overs.
Middlebrook thought the spinners also did a good job in the middle overs.
They were then in a worse predicament than Riverina in their run chase with Will Fort, Tom Fitzgerald and Sage Cook all falling cheaply to leave them scrambling at 3-23.
Tyson Rennie (17) and Meppem (30) restored some hope with a 53 run stand.
Jye Paterson also made 30 while Scoble was unbeaten on 43. He and Page made a 40-odd final run stand to almost get them home but they were in the end all out for 213.
“They bowled good lines and there was a bit in the deck early for both innings, and then it flattened out,” Middlebrook said.
“Once the shine went off the ball it was a bit easier.”
Their biggest problem was that they lost wickets in clumps.
They’ve got Southern/ACT, who are probably the favourites, on Saturday.
Central North U19s: Pat Magann (c), Ryan Meppem (VC), Jye Paterson, Will Fort, Tom Fitzgerald, Sage Cook, Tyson Rennie, Coby Cornish, Isaac Smith, Lachlan Davidson, Tom Scoble, Jacob Page, Lachlan Cooke.
Coach: Terry Browne; Assistant Coaches: Ben Middlebrook and Rod Bryant.