The Narrabri District Junior Cricket Association under-13s side scored its first win of the 2021-22 Central North Zone George Denton Shield season on Sunday when it downed Coalfields (a combined Cessnock, Singleton and Maitland side) by 12 runs.
The two sides met in Gunnedah for that round two game which was played at Donnelly Field where the NDJCA side won the toss and elected to bat first.
Narrabri was bowled out for just 41 runs when it lost its final wicket in the 28th over.
However, the NDJCA side managed to bowl the chasing Coalfields team out for just 29 in 15 overs.
Ted Haire (11), Gabe O’Connor (8) and Gus Ford (7) were Narrabri’s top scorers on the day.
The NDJCA’s small total meant that it would need to be on its toes in the field and at its best with the ball, and it was certainly up to that task.
Opening bowlers Lachlan Mason and Gabe O’Connor took a combined three wickets in the first four overs which ripped apart the Coalfields top order, while a run out also helped Narrabri’s cause as the scoreboard read 4-8 after four overs.
Coalfields then batted their way back into the match with a 12-run fifth-wicket partnership which made the score 4-20 after eight overs.
That’s when man-of-the-match Max Vogel was introduced into the bowling attack and immediately took control of the contest as he bowled his way to a game-best 5-2 during a match-winning four-over spell.
His first and last overs were both double-wicket-maidens and he also claimed a wicket-maiden in his third.
A run out in the 14th over made the score 8-29, then Max took his fourth and fifth wickets with the final two deliveries in the 15th over as he and his NDJCA teammates celebrated their first win of the campaign, just one week after going down by five wickets in the season opener away from home against Inverell.
Fellow Narrabri bowlers Gabe O’Connor (2-7 from four overs), Lachlan Mason (1-13 for four overs) and George Barton (0-7 from three overs) were all impressive with the ball as well, while wicketkeeper Lucas Duff was phenomenal behind the stumps with the gloves and even claimed a brilliant runout which he threw to the bowler’s end.
The NDJCA under-13s side now sits in fifth place on the 10-team ladder following its first two games.
It will travel to Tamworth on Sunday where it will play its round three and four matches.
While 40-over fixtures were played across the opening two rounds, this Sunday’s double header will see the NDJCA team play T20 matches against Moree in round three and Tamworth Blue in round four.
NDJCA’s under-17s team wears its new kit in first home game on Sunday
The Narrabri District Junior Cricket Association’s under-17s side may have lost in round two of the 2021-22 Central North Zone Col Dent Shield campaign, but the side’s players looked brilliant in their new kits in their first home game.
The hosts were sent into bat by Tamworth at Leitch Oval and were bowled out for 101 in 28.4 overs. Sid Harvey notched his second half century in as many games when he scored 63 off 73 deliveries.
In reply, Tamworth was struggling at 2-6 early in its chase but went on to win by seven wickets.
Narrabri, now sixth on the seven-team ladder, will travel to Scone this Sunday to meet Maitland Gold in round three.
Looking brilliant in their new kits at Leitch Oval on Sunday are the Narrabri District Junior Cricket Association’s under-17s representative side players. Pictured are – back, James Keys, Dustyn Allen, DJ Allen, Alistair Wheeler, Clay Hoffman, Sid Harvey, Will Ford, front, Ben Keys, Elsie Ford, Bernard O’Connor and Max Hunter.
