At the innings changeover of Sunday’s War Veterans Cup final Nick Smart was looking an obvious choice – should Narrabri prevail – as the player of the final after notching his first districts century for three seasons to anchor them to what proved to be a match-winning 231.
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But then Jake Brayshaw spun his magic, snaring 7-46 as Narrabri inscribed their name on the trophy for the first time since 1994.
In the end the umpires found it impossible to split them.
“It was nice to be joint winners. I’m pretty proud of that,” Brayshaw said.
Both have been part of the core squad for the last four or five seasons and played in the 2016 final when they went down to Tamworth.
“We’ve got a good mix of blokes – a lot of youth and a lot of experienced guys,” Brayshaw said.
Sunday was potentially his last game for the “Pink Slugs” for a while anyway. He was headed off to uni in Newcastle on Monday.
One of Narrabri’s best performers with the ball, Brayshaw has formed a formidable partnership with fellow spinner Chris Sargent. The two are noted for tieing the runs down in the middle overs, as they did on Sunday.
He was feeling pretty good heading in after taking five wickets on Saturday.
“They came out pretty nicely the day before,” Brayshaw said, adding that his strategy was to give the ball some flight and let the pitch do the work.
“And try and bowl with variety. You just can’t keep bowling the same thing,” he said.
It was that quest that a couple of years ago led to him to develop the wrong-un delivery that yielded him three of his seven wickets on Sunday – the batsmen having no idea what way the ball was spinning.
He almost had a hat-trick too to add to his day’s endeavours, and fittingly took the final wicket.
Smart was understandably tired and sore after batting for more than 40 overs in oppressive conditions, and running 82 of his 102 runs.
“That was probably one of the most physically exhausting hundred’s I’ve scored.
“It was hot,” he said.
He was cramping from around the 25th over and had to get drinks run out every few overs.
“The (Inverell) boys bowled well. It was hard work. They didn’t offer very much,” he said.
It was a welcome and timely turn around in form.
“I haven’t been able to hit it off the square all year.
“I got a bit of form up yesterday. I got 60-odd,” he said.
Adopting the same approach as he had on Saturday, he said his plan was to hit everything along the ground. With initially Coby Cornish, and then skipper Lachie Cameron, who scored 50 off 63, going on the attack, it allowed him to bat conservatively and really build his innings.
