ADAM Greentree made his long-awaited return to the bowling crease at Dick Edwards Oval on Saturday and it was business as usual for the Redbacks quick.
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He was straight back into the groove – tieing down batsmen and taking wickets.
“They came out pretty well,” Greentree said after bagging 5-47.
It was a match-winning haul and saw him pick up the three best and fairest points.
He quickly changed City United’s wicketless position overnight, taking two wickets in his first four overs.
They couldn’t get a run off him until his fifth over and that was only one, and after eight he had 2-4.
“I was pretty happy with it,” he said.
“But the boys bowled well at the other end and created pressure.”
“Leo (Steyn) started well, Legge (Ben Legge) followed it up and Hamish (Batley), and Mick (Rixon) burglared a few.”
He finished with eight maidens from his 18 overs, which he bowled unchanged.
Not quite his usual number but more than enough to ruin City’s hopes of chasing down the Redbacks’ 170.
He’s been out the first few rounds recovering from a torn meniscus cartilage in his left knee which he picked up through the winter.
“It took a long time coming good,” he said.
“It’s good to be back.”
It’s been a bit frustrating watching from the sidelines.
“I’m not a watcher,” Greentree said.
The Redbacks were certainly pleased to have him back, as Tamworth will probably be too.
In the past few seasons he has been one of the frontline bowlers for the rep side.
They have a couple of big games coming up.
But Greentree said he would see how he pulls up before deciding whether he’ll put his hand up yet.
Over at Scully Park another quick was in the spotlight, with South Tamworth’s Jamie Hammond claiming four to finish with 7-46.
“I haven’t got a seven-for for a while,” he said.
His haul included a hat-trick, not a first one against Bective-East.
“Last time I got a hat-trick against Bective I got six wickets,” he said.
He went one better this time and lifted his season average.
“So far this year I’ve only got one wicket per game,” he said.
South headed into the second day in the box seat, with Bective 4-27 in reply to its 312 but it was hard work on
Saturday.
“We bowled a fair few overs with nine men. Credit to the blokes, they stuck at it,” he said.
The bowlers had to do the same.
“It was dry and pretty flat,” Hammond said.
“Towards the middle session it was a bit two-paced.
“There was a bit of varied bounce, and a couple stayed low.”
But generally there wasn’t a lot of assistance.
“We knew we just had to toil hard and put the ball in the right spot,” he said.
If they did they’d reap the reward, which they did.
His seven-for earned him the two best and fairest points. The three went to first-day centurion James Psarakis.
In West’s first innings win over Old Boys, West skipper Tim Kensell picked up three points for his batting and bowling efforts, Old Boys youngster Layne Berry polled two for a battling effort with the bat and West quick Jules McGovern scored one after taking a bag of wickets.
