'Got to put our foot on the throat': City United in front after Fitzgerald blitz

Prior to the game, captain Tait Jordan told the Leader that he was hoping to bat first on an opening day throughout which the temperature sat in the high 30s.

So, of course, he lost the toss and was asked by South Tamworth captain Chris Skilton to bowl.

"Once we lost the toss and bowled, we got started the hard way," Jordan said.

"After about 10 overs, they were one down for 15, so we thought it was going to be a grind."

But just as the City United attack, which comprised entirely of pace bowlers, was preparing for a long day in the field, they were suddenly walking off it.

Somehow, they swung fortune back in their favour quickly and bowled Souths out for 56.

The chief architect of the collapse was Tom Fitzgerald, who picked up four wickets, while the men in blue lost another three to run-outs.

"They probably let themselves down a little bit," Jordan said.

"We got three run-outs, and a couple of blokes just hit the ball straight down our fielders' throats. They gave it away a little bit I think."

Early on, however, it looked as though City United were headed for a similar fate. South Tamworth's varied bowling battery made early inroads and had last season's two-day champions on the ropes at 4-20 before Fitzgerald, with bat in hand this time, saved the day.

The tall allrounder rode his luck and made a half-century which gave his team a comfortable lead and, more crucially, first-innings points.

"Tommy Fitz got four wickets and then got 80-odd with the bat, so he had a good day out," Jordan said.

"He was fairly lucky though, he got dropped three times. But that's all right, you've got to ride your luck."

With four wickets remaining, City United lead by roughly 80 going in to next Saturday's second half of the game.

And due to their dominant performance on day one, the pressure is now off and they can take an aggressive mindset into the final day.

"At least we get points no matter what, and then next week we can start trying to build towards an outright," Jordan said.

"We'll try and build a good lead and then attack pretty hard [with the ball] ... we're in a pretty comfortable position but we've got to put our foot on their throat."