North Tamworth are on the cusp of crawling their way into the semi-finals after securing first innings points on the first day of their final round clash with City United.
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As things stand at stumps, the Redbacks are ahead of Bective after Brad Redshaw and Adam Greentree cut a swathe through City.
After being sent in, City could only rouse 79 with skipper Brad Smith (21) and Robbie Gregg, with a defiant 30, the only batsmen to reach double figures.
One point behind the fourth-placed Bulls heading into the round, Norths skipper Brendan Rixon was ”very happy” at the end of play.
“It was more about trying to get a result today,” he said explaining his decision to bowl first.
He felt if they could bowl and field well they were a good chance of setting themselves up to do that.
Redshaw was first to strike, bowling Chris Dempsey in the fifth over and starting a rampage that at one stage had City 7-36.
“Greentree and Redshaw bowled really well. Redshaw took 5-17 and had the ball swinging,” Rixon said.
Greentree chimed in with 5-48 from the other end, the pair bowling 27 of the 29 overs between them.
“We just didn’t bowl the short rubbish we have been and we were patient,” he said.
“And we took our chances.”
They then build to 7-159 in reply after Lincoln Peters (40) and Rixon (42) had taken them past the runs in the 25th over.
Anoop Nair and Daniel Rea both picked up a pair of wickets for City. Rea finished with 2-16 from his six and was hard to get the bat on in the early part of his spell. He was 2-2 after his first two overs.
