“Deserved winners”, the Queenslanders were in Tamworth co-coach Barry Pratten’s view the best team at the carnival, and showed the full force of their power to dispatch of the hosts.

After compiling an imposing 6-232 they routed the home side for just 71.

“We were outgunned by a better side. They outplayed us in all departments really,” Pratten said.

The Gold Coast innings was set up by a superb knock from James Guthrig the opener batting almost the entire innings. He was eventually out in the final over – two short of his century.

”Once they got on top they scored at a pretty quick rate, they were going at about four-and-a-half an over,” Pratten said.

“It put the pressure on our batters. They had to score at a rate of four runs an over to be competitive.”

The Gold Coast bowlers kept it tight early and once that first wicket fell, the wickets tumbled at regular intervals. 

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They lost 5-9 at one stage to plummet to 8-43.

Opener Claire McGurk and Nathaniel Follington were the only batsmen to reach double figures, both making 13. 

Earlier Adam Williams (2-19), Sam Murphy (1-38) and Follington (1-24) shared the wicket joy, Pratten noting that they cleaned up their sundries “which was good.”

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Despite the result in the final it was a good week for the side, who were without three of their best due to the Kookaburra Cup.

“Our team achieved above expectations,” he said.

“We played some good cricket to prior to the final.”

He said the players that came in did a great job but did note that the same thing happened at the Ballina carnival last year. They played well for four days but not that well on the final day.

It is the second successive year Tamworth has finished runners-up in their home carnival after going down to Manly in last year’s final.

The side now has a break with their next game in the Northern Inland competition not until March 3.

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