War Veterans Cup: Tamworth beats Inverell by six wickets

Tamworth started its title defence on Sunday and barring a mini-collapse to start the second innings, the home side looked in control throughout to clock up a six-wicket win.

The match started with miserly spells from Tamworth’s opening duo.

Tom O’Neill (1-12) was first to strike in his second of eight overs while Tait Jordan (2-12) bowled 10 straight and claimed scalps late in his spell.

By the end of Jordan’s spell, Inverell was 4-35 after 20 overs and in need of runs.

The following 21.5 overs saw the last six wickets fall – with Michael Rixon (3-41) claiming the best figures for Tamworth – which captain Tom Groth put down to the early pressure.

“They bowled a lot of dot balls at the start of the innings which made it hard for them,” Groth said.

“They had to play a few big shots which caused them to lose a few wickets. We bowled well and caught well. I think we took everything that came our way. That makes a difference.”

Inverell finished all out for 123 with Mick Kenny a standout with the bat.

After coming in to bat in the 20^th over, Kenny stuck around until the end as he struck 58 runs.

Groth said the total was 80-90 runs short on the good wicket.

However, opening bowlers Jaidon Tasker (2-44) and Tony Blake (2-23) claimed early wickets to have Tamworth at 3-24 and then 4-47 to catapult Inverell into the match.

The fourth wicket brought Groth (36*) to the crease who alongside opening bat Simon Norvill took the game away from Inverell.

Norvill scored a powerful 65 not out to go alongside his 63 scored for Old Boys in local cricket the previous day.

“He likes to get on with it,” Groth said of Norvill.

“He got 65 from 49 balls, so he was pretty instrumental in our innings.

“He played well but credit has to go to our bowlers. They set it up for us by knocking them over for 120. Then we just had to go out and knock them [runs] off.”

Gunnedah won via forfeit over Armidale in its War Veterans Cup clash.