New City United skipper Brad Smith showed his side how it was done, hammering an unbeaten 164, when the whites were dusted off for another season on Saturday.
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Smith’s efforts weren’t enough to get City over the line though with North Tamworth chasing down their 6-228 with three overs and seven wickets in hand.
Old Boys also chased for victory, the old firm of Simon Norvill and Adam Lole leading the way as they reached 3-191 in reply to South Tamworths 6-190.
New recruit Ryan Meppem was the linchpin of South’s innings, smacking 75 and putting on 87 with Mitchell Smith (33) for the fifth wicket after stand-in skipper Josh Crowe had made 26 and Jack Massey 20.
Norvill (61) and Lole (52) then combined for a 132-run opening stand to set Old Boys up for the win.
Over at Chaffey Park Jye Patterson and Nick Pearson got the Bulls charging against West Tamworth with an opening stand of 120 to set up the win.
Paterson might be in for a big season after batting out the full innings to remain unbeaten on 89 as Bective set 7-185.
This season Wests are sporting three former Inverell batsmen at the top of the order with last years skipper Dave Mudaliar (24) now joined by young guns Sage Cook (22) and Tom Scoble (26), although after the trio were dismissed only Brendan Reynolds offered resistance with 37 in the middle as Wests were all out for 156.
At Riverside 2, Smith was out there from the first ball to the last and clubbed 20 fours and four sixes in his 138-ball knock.
“I could never have dreamt of it. I was just stoked when I got to 50,” he said.
He had driven down half expecting that given the decision he’d bowl first, but after inspecting the deck decided to have a bat.
Adam Greentree as usual made life difficult for the batsmen early and went for just 13 from his two overs with two wickets and six maidens.
“He bowled good lines and got a bit of movement off the deck early,” Smith said.
“The spinners were (also) getting a bit of drift and purchase off the deck.”
David Brennan (2-48) and Michael Rixon (2-28) shared the other two wickets, the bowling not quite getting full marks from skipper Brendan Rixon.
They probably didn’t bowl the right length in the latter overs. That wasn’t to take anything away from Smith.
“Brad batted really well. He chanced his arm and hit the ball really cleanly the last 10 or 12 overs,” Rixon said.
They then suffered an early hiccup losing Glen Lewington but Lincoln Peters and Michael Rixon took charge and took the game away from City.
They steered them to 1-197 with nine overs to go.
Simon Bellamy gave City a glimmer of hope when he removed Rixon (69), and then two balls later Peters eight short of his century, but the Redbacks polished off the remaining runs without too much trouble.
“Lincoln batted really well. He hit the ball really cleanly and looked good after he settled in Michael was really patient,” Brendan said.
Smith thought Dan Lawrence bowled well for them. Ray also swing the ball early.