Specialised Civil Services scores a huge 10-wicket win in season opener

Narrabri District Cricket Association’s inaugural Coates Hire Namoi Super Slog T20 competition champions Specialised Civil Services have a new-look side this season but showed that they will be a force to be reckoned with once again as they cruised to a 10-wicket win against J and D Weed Management at Hogan Oval on Saturday.

J and D Weed Management batted first in the round one match after its captain Luke Meppem won the toss, and the side scored 73 runs before losing its final wicket with just three balls to spare in the innings.

In reply, Specialised Civil Services chased down the required total in 12.4 overs without losing a wicket as the side’s skipper Lachlan Woolford (28*) and his opening batting partner Jordan Doolan (36*) remained unbeaten. They combined for a match-winning 74-run partnership that was assisted by 10 extras.

Earlier in the day, those two men also combined for Specialised Civil Service’s first wicket. Jye Manton opened the bowling for Specialised Civil Services and got his side on the front foot early with a maiden. Eleven runs then came from the second over, which was bowled by Doolan, but he made up for that in the fourth when he took the game’s first wicket as gloveman Woolford stumped Nick Tomlinson (2).

That made the score 1-14, which became 2-14 when Manton struck during the next over by removing J and D Weed Management’s other opener Aaronn Baker (5), who was caught by Danny Laws.

Chris Smith, Dustyn Allen and Eben Botha all took two wickets each to combine for the next six and leave J and D Weed Management reeling on 8-43 after 15 overs.

Greg Melton (20) and Kaleb Mowle (12*) fired late to guide their side past 50 runs, and they finished the innings as the only two batsmen to have reached double figures. Both played some entertaining shots as Melton struck a six and a four and Mowle scored two fours.

Melton was eventually removed by Jason Paull in the 19th over when Laws claimed his third catch of the day, and then Manton bowled Matt Tubner (2) in the 20th over with three balls to spare as J and D Weed Management finished all out on 73.

Six of the eight bowlers used by Specialised Civil Services in that game took at least one wicket. Allen (2-5 from three overs), Eben Botha (2-6 from two overs), Manton (2-7 from 3.3 overs) and Smith (2-13 from three overs) all took two each, and Doolan (1-12 from two overs) and Paull (1-19 from two overs) took one each.

The other two bowlers used were Waldo Botha and Guy Gleeson, who helped their side apply pressure with two economical spells as they conceded a combined seven runs from four overs.

Doolan and his captain Woolford then came out to bat to get the game’s second innings underway, and they contributed 39 runs in nine overs, scoring at just above four an over.

Melton bowled maidens in the first and third overs to apply some early pressure, and Mark Page bowled a maiden in the ninth.

However, the Specialised Civil Services openers took it up a gear as they scored 22 runs during the next two overs to move their side to 0-61, and they scored the final 13 runs they required for victory across the next 10 balls to reach the required total in 12.4 overs.

Doolan hit a six and three fours during his time in the middle, while Woolford’s innings included four fours.

Specialised Civil Services will now attempt to extend its winning start to the season to two matches on Friday when it takes on Priag Marketing at Collins Park, while J and D Weed Management will go looking for its first win of the campaign when it challenges WTC group at Hogan Oval. Both of those games will be played under lights from 7pm.