Tom Fitzgerald is Tamworth cricket’s perpetual-motion man.
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![PUMPED: “We’re going outstanding at the moment." City United's Tom Fitzgerald is excited. Photo: Peter Hardin PUMPED: “We’re going outstanding at the moment." City United's Tom Fitzgerald is excited. Photo: Peter Hardin](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/c0b578ca-e247-473e-b656-370e139531ba.jpg/r0_0_4044_2687_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The City United batting linchpin is in his fifth straight season of playing cricket without a break.
And in his first innings for City this year, after helping North Yorkshire-based amateur club Filey to the Scarborough Beckett League Premier Division title this year, the 19-year-old began where he left of last season – top-scoring with 75 as City amassed 304 on day one of their two-dayer against West Tamworth at Riverside 1.
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It was the second straight year Fitzgerald had spent with Filey. He credited the first stint there with helping him mature as a person and as a cricket, leading to a standout 2017-18 Tamworth season in which he averaged 53.5 in 15 first-grade innings.
He scored two centuries, with a highest score of 122, and four fifties that year. In the 2016-17 season, his first full stint in top grade, he averaged 22.
![GRIT: West Tamworth left-arm spinner Harrison Kelly bowled tirelessly to finish with 4-114 off 37 overs. Photo: Peter Hardin GRIT: West Tamworth left-arm spinner Harrison Kelly bowled tirelessly to finish with 4-114 off 37 overs. Photo: Peter Hardin](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/3a17bd3e-db6d-42a1-8bbc-30be64126b41.jpg/r0_0_4838_3225_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Bowling right-arm medium fast, he was the second leading wicket-taker in the Scarborough Beckett League Premier Division this year, taking six wickets in an innings three times (with a best of 6-26). He also had a five-wicket haul.
Back home, he is excited about City United’s promising form, as they build on last season’s breakthrough year following a long struggle.
He believes that this could finally be City’s time, with the side already into the one-day final against South Tamworth on November 30.
It “has been a while” since City scored 300 runs, said Fitzgerald, who debuted for Central North this year, at last month’s Country Championship.
“We’ve got a very nice group here … we’re going outstanding at the moment; we’re pretty proud,” he said. “All the boys are pretty chuffed … We're here to win it this year.”
He added: “It’s a long time [to be playing cricket without a break] but it’s good when you come back and we’re winning like this.”
![SHATTERED: City United No.3 Scott Brennan is bowled for 60. Photo: Peter Hardin SHATTERED: City United No.3 Scott Brennan is bowled for 60. Photo: Peter Hardin](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/3a174e1d-48a0-4f3a-b505-dd0e045d1e53.jpg/r0_0_4734_3156_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
On Saturday, City were dismissed in the 70th over. Scott Brennan (60), skipper Brad Smith (46) and Tait Jordan (46) were the other major contributors.
In reply, West Tamworth had slumped to 4-46 at stumps. The in-form Jordan claimed 2-21.
Left-arm spinner Harrison Kelly opened the bowling for Wests, finishing with 4-114 off 37 overs, while Shaun Stevenson took 3-27.