Tamworth District Cricket premiers Old Boys have gone out on their own this season and are making a charge for the Country Plate.
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On Sunday the Old Boys blasted their way past Walcha with an absolutely dominant performance with the bat that has seen them launch into the third round of the statewide competition.
After heavy rain on Saturday the match was moved from the turf wicket at Captain Cook to the synthetic strip at John Oxley and after winning the toss the Old Boys went about compiling a daunting total of 5-351 from 50 overs.
Opener Adam Lole constructed a match winning century of 103 at the top, before middle order big hitter Mitch Swain provided a season’s worth of highlights in the final seven overs to lift the visitors to their huge total.
Lole and Abel Carney (34) got the ball rolling early with an opening stand of 71, before the home side claimed Carney, before also felling Chris Dobson (8) and Aaron Hazlewood (34) to get back in the match.
Returned former junior Don Bryant then joined the centurion in the middle, and despite the wet and slow outfield the pair compiled a great partnership of 98 runs before Lole finally hit a Troy Yarnold delivery into the hands of Lee Harrison.
Skipper Ben Middlebrook could only add five, his wicket bringing the explosive Swain to the crease with only seven overs remaining.
Swain launched the first ball he faced over the fence to announce his intentions before knocking another eight over the boundary and three into the boundary to finish unbeaten on 82 from just 30 balls, while Bryant finished on 68 from 39 balls the other end.
Club spokesman Scott Abra said Swain’s innings was truly something to watch.
“To do that in the last seven overs was amazing,” Abra said.
“He hit the first ball for six and just kept going.”
“It ended up being a really big score to chase.”
In reply Walcha didn’t get off to the ideal start as skipper Ed Blomfield copped a first ball duck to Josh Smith, the opening bowler claiming the wicket of fellow opener Dougal Elliott shortly after to have the hosts at 2-5 early.
Yarnold and Jacob Sherrin then righted the ship with a hard fought stand of 125 to get back in the match, before Sherrin fell for 34 and Hazlewood claimed Yarnold for 82 before the tail collapsed to be all out for 161.
“It’s great for a club side to be heading into the third round,” Abra said.
“Hopefully we can keep going.”
Old Boys will now head to Harwood Oval in Maclean to play the Lower Clarence on November 6.
