Narrabri District Cricket Association is the Veterans Cricket NSW Over-50s State Championships division three winners following an undefeated tournament in Orange.

The Grey Slugs played three games from Saturday to Monday, two at Orange either side of Sunday’s clash at Bathurst.

The team consisted of 12 players who mostly reside within the Narrabri Shire or are former residents including Neil Brayshaw, Sid Brummell, Adam Kay, Rob Maunder, Wayne Melton, Tony Meppem, Geoff Page, Sudintha Perera, Shane Riordan, Chris Sargent, Adrian Schwager, and Andrew Smart.

The Grey Slugs scored two big wins on Saturday and Sunday to set up a day three clash against the Hunter Taverners which was the only other undefeated side in the division.

Narrabri demolished the Taverners at Country Club Oval in Orange yesterday by 144 runs to claim top spot on the eight-team ladder.

In that game Narrabri batted first and made 9-242 from its 45 overs, with the top seven batsmen all reaching double figures.

Sargent top scored with an unbeaten 89 runs and Schwager (54*) also got to raise the bat to celebrate a half century.

Schwager’s opening batting partner Smart (28) chipped in nicely and Brummell (14), Meppem (12), Brayshaw (11) and Kay (10) also made handy contributions.

The Narrabri team then restricted the Hunter Taverners to just 98 runs, knocking them over in the 37th over.

All six bowlers used by Narrabri took at least one wicket.

Perera’s 3-6 from three overs was the standout spell, while Smart (2-17 from seven overs), Riordan (2-17 from six overs), Brayshaw (1-10 from six overs), Sargent (1-14 from nine overs) and Page (1-29 from 5.5 overs) all contributed.

Sargent was named the grand final man-of-the match for his outstanding efforts with both bat and ball.

It was a special weekend for the Civeo all-rounder, with an NDCA representative telling The Courier that Sargent is now the only cricketer to win a War Vets Cup and an over-50s State Championship in the same year.

On Saturday the Grey Slugs started off their tournament in style with a seven-wicket T20 win against the Port Jackson Grey Ghosts.

Port Jackson won the toss in that game and batted first and made 9-99 from its 20 overs.

Smart was the Slugs’ best with the ball with 3-23 from four overs.

Narrabri chased the required total down in 16 overs for the loss of just three wickets, with Meppem top scoring with an unbeaten 25.

On Sunday the Narrabri men took on the Macquarie Valley Galahs in a 45-over match.

The Galahs won the toss and batted first, making 4-230 from their 45 overs.

That brilliant batting display was overshadowed by a remarkable Narrabri innings which saw the Grey Slugs reach the required total in just 39.2 overs to for the loss of just two wickets to claim a sensational eight-wicket win.

Schwager, Sargent and Brayshaw all top scored with unbeaten 40s before retiring in that game.

Yesterday’s match was the only time the Grey Slugs batted first at the championships and they got the job done comfortably.

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