Old Boys extended their advantage at the top of the Tamworth first grade table and leapfrogged Bective-East to assume the one-day competition lead with a 35 run win over South Tamworth when the competition resumed on Saturday.
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Guided by a half-century from Abel Carney they made a bit of a scratchy but competitive 157. Jack Richards then spun his way through the Souths middle order as they stumbled to 122 in reply.
He finished with 4-41, the slow bowlers doing the damage with Jason Stacpoole picking up 2-16, and skipper Ben Middlebrook 2-11 to wrap up the Souths innings.
Middlebrook said he would have liked 180, but thought 150 was defendable if they bowled and fielded well, which they did.
“I thought we fielded very well,” he said.
“It was the best we’ve fielded all year. We took some good catches and our ground fielding was good.”
Souths’ run chase began brightly with James Maltby cracking a boundary off the first ball. From there he and Caleb McNeill took them through to 20 after six overs.
Their momentum was stalled when the next over Maltby was bowled by Josh Smith, and an over later Dan Bryant had McNeill caught behind.
Ryan Meppem and Jack Massey looked to have Souths’ response back on track but the introduction of Richards ended their promising partnership.
After two juicy ones to start his spell he had Meppem (15) trapped in front with his third ball. Next over Jamie Mitchell grabbed a sharp chance in the outfield to dismiss Mitch Smith, leaving Souths 4-62 at drinks.
Second over after the resumption Massey (21) was caught by Clark Geary off Richards. Stand-in skipper Troy Osborne and Sam Rowlings followed him not long after as Souths slumped to 7-76.
James Dunstan (24) and Will Burke (14no) showed some late resistance with a 34-run partnership but their hopes petered out when Dunstan became Richards’ fourth scalp.
“To pick up one just before drinks and then after drinks put the pressure on Souths,” Middlebrook said.
I thought we fielded well. It was the best we've fielded all year
- Old Boys captain Ben Middlebrook
Earlier Carney and Tyson Rennie (20) had negotiated them out of trouble after they found themselves 4-29.
They added 61 for the fourth wicket, Carney continuing his good form and batting on to the seventh wicket when he was caught off Will Burke for a patient and important 58. Geary then added a quick 17 at nine to get them over 150.
Osborne (2-26) and Tom O’Neill (4-28) did the early damage for Souths, Dunstan also chiming in with two wickets.
