Inverell is slated to contest Cessnock in Country Plate cricket on November 6 following Inverell’s 179-run trouncing of Narrabri on Sunday.
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With Inverell having made 9-256 and dismissed Glen Innes for 75 in round one, Inverell’s round two match featured a similar pattern as the team racked up 7-248 in 50 overs before routing Narrabri for 69.
Cessnock meanwhile had a first-up win over Singleton, which was dismissed for 111 in reply to 276, before Cessnock followed up with a mere two-wicket win as its target was 131 against Upper Hunter.
Round two was a case of Narrabri crashing back to earth with a thud, having won by 100 runs against Gunnedah a week earlier before missing Jake Brayshaw and Craig Trindall against Inverell.
Sunday’s match was moved from McCosker Oval to Brooks Oval as a synthetic pitch rather than a turf pitch was required following rain.
After winning the toss, the hosts were in strife at 2-5 as openers Dave Mudaliar and Richard Wilson departed cheaply, before Tom Scoble and Sage Cook staged a recovery.
The situation however could have been a lot different had Narrabri not spilled a few catches, with Scoble and Cook having been reprieved early.
Scoble reached 44 before he was dismissed with the score at 114, before a run-out left Inverell 4-128.
Captain Michael Kenny scored 34 while Cook reached 61, before the loss of three quick wickets reduced the home side to 7-176.
Jaidon Tasker (41 not out) and John Krauss (27 not out) put on an undefeated partnership which included 22 runs off the last over.
Narrabri, after posting 8-240 against Gunnedah, was 3-0 after just four balls of the run chase as Tasker hit the stumps with the first and third deliveries before claiming an lbw.
Tasker, who moved the ball around in the air with his left-arm bowling, had amazing figures of 4-4 from five overs while Kenny nabbed 5-9 from three overs.
Kyle Chilcott claimed the other wicket as he bowled two expensive overs, and the visitors were all out in only the 16th over.
Shane Murphy top-scored with 22, and Brady Jenkins (16) and skipper Lachie Cameron (11) also registered double figures as five Narrabri batsmen were dismissed without scoring.
A week earlier, Tasker scored 17 not out and took 4-7 off 5.3 overs while Kenny had 1-14 off five overs.
Scoble wasn’t even called upon to bowl against Narrabri after capturing 4-11 from seven overs against Glen Innes.
Looking ahead, Inverell will need to be wary of Robbie Sidebottom who snared 5-23 against Upper Hunter.