Representative honours for four local cricketers on the long weekend

Four Narrabri District Cricket Association cricketers were in action across the October long weekend as representative cricket made its return to get the 2020-21 season underway.

Sid Harvey (Tatts Cricket Club) and Tim Shields and Bernard O’Connor (RSL Cricket Club) lined up for Northern Inland Cricket Council teams in the Central North Cricket Zone Regional Australia Bank NNSW Under-16 Pathway Challenge at Tamworth.

Sid and Bernard teamed up for NICC Black while Tim played for NICC Gold. All three Narrabri boys produced fine efforts across the three-day event in the four games they played.

At the conclusion of the challenge both Sid and Tim were selected into the 20-man Central North under-16s squad.

Meanwhile, Dylan Smith (Western Razorbacks) competed for Central North Red at the Regional Australia Bank NNSW Under-18 Pathway Challenge at Tamworth.

Last night he was named in the Central North under-18s team to play in the under-18s age division of the McDonalds Country Colts.

Dylan’s team played three 50-over matches across the long weekend.

On day one on Saturday, Dylan’s team took on North Coast Green. Central North Red batted first and made 174 but went on to lose by four wickets. Dylan batted at number nine for his side and was dismissed for a golden duck, but with the ball finished with 1-18 from seven overs which included two maidens. In his second spell in that match Dylan was unlucky not to have another wicket after he had a delivery beat the bat and hit the stumps, but the ball did not dislodge the bails.

On day two on Sunday, Central North Red took on Central North Navy. Central North Red bowled first and knocked over its opposition for 178. Dylan starred with the ball with 4-33 off 10 overs, which included two maidens. He then batted at number 10 and made eight runs off 22 balls as his team lost by 29 runs.

On day three on Monday, Central North Red challenged North Coast Gold. Central North Red batted first and made 152. Dylan did not bat in that innings. During his side’s defence, Dylan was only permitted to bowl three overs as each player was limited to 20 overs each for the weekend. He made the most of those 18 deliveries, taking 1-10 to help his side secure a seven-run win.

In the under-16 competition, Tim’s NICC Gold won its 50-over matches played on day one on Saturday and day three on Monday, but went down in its two T20 games on Sunday.

Tim excelled with the bat across the long weekend and smashed the challenge’s high score on Monday. In a 50-over victory against Hunter Valley, Tim scored 99 runs before being trapped in front. His team finished on 8-204 from its 50 overs then restricted Hunter Valley to 4-188 to win by 16 runs. He finished the long weekend with 159 runs from four innings at an average of 39.75.

With the ball he took 1-45 from seven overs across the three matches he bowled in.

Sid and Bernard’s NICC Black team won its two T20 matches on Sunday, but went down in its two 50-over games.

Sid scored 46 runs in the three matches which he batted in at an average of 15.33 and a high score of 23. He bowled in three matches, taking seven wickets in 16.4 overs at an average of 13 with best bowling figures of 4-50 from 9.4 overs.

Bernard batted three times, scoring 38 runs at an average of 12.67 with a high score of 23. He only bowled two overs across the four matches and finished with 0-13 from two overs.