Chasing Gunnedah’s competitive 181 at Tamworth’s Riverside 8, the Blues were cruising at 1-151 on the back of a 94 run partnership between Adam Lole (91) and Tom Fitzgerald (30).

But Troy Sands’ dismissal of Fitzgerald, and a brilliant effort from Hayden Baker to run out Lole seven runs later saw the Blues’ chase stutter. 

They lost 4-20 as Sands (3-22) and Vinnie Winsor (2-32) gave the visitors a sniff of causing an upset.

“It got closer than it should have,” a relieved skipper Chris Paterson said.

Probably the equivalent of a 240 chase he thought they were “comfortable enough”.

“We were cruising, and then a couple of brilliant pieces of work - one to run out Lole and then a really good catch to dismiss Lachie Barton. Those kind of things change momentum,” he said.

It really put the brakes on the Blues.

“Those last 10 runs were hard to get,” Paterson said.

They got them in the end with an over to spare.

Lole and Dan Whale (22) had laid the foundation with a 57 run opening stand. They had to negotiate eight overs before lunch, which they did, before putting the foot down after the break.

The game was played on synthetic after No.1 Oval was deemed too wet. Neither side was that happy about it and Gunnedah have indicated they will be lodging a complaint with the Northern Inland Cricket Council.

The issue for them was that they had to play on synthetic, while the juniors played on turf.

Batting first, they made what skipper Blake Small thought was “a great score”.

“I would have liked a few more but it was a good effort for the field. It was very slow,” he said.

Jay Urquhart top-scored with 48 before Farran Lamb hit an unbeaten 33. Sam Lumby also chipped in with 22 and Darrin Cameron 15.

Paterson said all the Blues bowlers toiled hard.

“Brad Redshaw was probably the pick of the bowlers and Dan Collinson,” he said.

“And Lachie Barton was very good at the end.”

Barton finished with 3-15, while Redshaw and Collinson both picked up two wickets.