West Tamworth need Brock Ridgewell. And even though the 19-year-old has just moved to Sydney for uni, as he transitions from one life to the next, there may be a part of him that needs Wests – at least for now.
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On Saturday at No.1 Oval, Ridgewell did what his teammates had hoped he would do: bowl his side to victory over South Tamworth and just about close the lock on second place and a major semi-final against Old Boys.
In fact, the clever medium-pacer probably exceeded expectations – his 7-42 from 19.2 overs the best figures of the season by any bowler. It took his season tally to a competition-best 31 wickets.
Ridgewell missed day one of the match the previous Saturday because he was in Sydney preparing for the start of his sports science degree at Western Sydney University next month.
On a wicket that the ball skidded on after a short rain interval and then played two-paced as it dried, he decimated Souths’ batting line-up after they resumed at 1-33 on day two, chasing 202, and were dismissed for 136 in the 53rd over.
Wests now have a 12.53-point lead over third-placed Souths with one round remaining before the finals.
City United leapfrogged Norths into fourth spot after an eight-run defeat of the Redbacks at Riverside 2 on Saturday.
Ben Middlebrook, Tamworth District Cricket Association president, said that if Norths beat Souths in the final round and Old Boys beat City, then either Souths or City would finish in fourth sport.
That, he said, would be determined by the bonus points Souths and City secured in the final round.
But he said that if Souths won, City would finish fourth regardless of how they fared against Old Boys.
Reigning four-time premiers Old Boys, whom Middlebrook captains, pretty much made sure of what had seemed a forgone conclusion – claiming the minor premiership – with a typically clinical 49-run win over Bective East at Riverside 1 on Saturday. They lead Wests by 14.41 points.
Wests play Bective in the final round.
Wests were down two bowlers on Saturday – Shaun Stevenson and Dan Collinson. As such, Stevenson said pre-match that the pressure on Ridgewell and left-arm spinner Harrison Kelly to perform would be amplified.
Wests skipper David Mudaliar praised Ridgewell: “It was fantastic. I was a bit nervous – a couple of bowlers injured. And I just needed him to keep doing what he’s always done all year.”
Mudaliar said Ridgewell had “massively” stepped up after Wests lost their three main bowlers at the end of last season.
He said: “You’ve got to have one bloke with the new ball who can seam it around, and sometimes at this level that’s what you need to knock over two or three of the top order, and he’s done that fantastically.”
Allrounder Kelly also did his job, finishing with 3-59 from 21 overs.
Chris Massey (34) top-scored for Souths.
Mudaliar was the top-scorer for the match, with his 89 on day one a true captain’s knock that rescued this side after the single-digit failures of the top four batsmen.
In their second innings, Wests finished at 3-90 off 22 overs as they chased bonus points. Mudaliar made 42 not out and teen opener Adam McGuirk finished on 38 not out.
James Hammond claimed 6-28 from 13 overs in Wests’ first innings.