Trindall runs rampant as NDCA demolishes Quirindi in MA Connolly Cup final

Narrabri District Cricket Association’s first XI continued its dominance of the Northern Inland Cricket Council representative arena on Sunday when it was crowned 2021-22 MA Connolly Cup champions.

Opening bowler Nathan Trindall ran rampant against Quirindi in the Pink Slugs’ eight-wicket win on home soil at Collins Park.

After NDCA captain Luke Meppem won the toss and sent Quirindi into bat, Trindall ensured that his skipper’s decision was the right one as he took a wicket in the second over of the game. His second wicket made the score 3-3 after four overs, and he went on to finish with a phenomenal 6-19 from 10 overs as the hosts knocked over the visitors for just 50 runs in 35.3 overs.

Trindall’s teammates Jade Lees (2-6 from 6.3 overs), Dylan Smith (1-4 from six overs) and Sid Harvey (1-7 from six overs) combined to take the other four wickets.

Cody Kember was the only other bowler used by the home side. While he did not take any wickets, he kicked off his spell with four maidens and went on to finish with 0-7 from seven overs, which helped the Pink Slugs suffocate Quirindi in the middle stages of the visiting side’s innings.

Hadley Sevil then opened the batting for Narrabri in the second innings of the match and remained unbeaten on seven runs when the hosts’ chase was successfully completed.

Cooper Brayshaw arrived at the crease at number four for Narrabri and scored a classy unbeaten 24, which included a boundary to win the match in the 22nd over.

Only Bernard O’Connor (1) and Shane Murphy (4) departed for the Pink Slugs in that innings as they won by eight wickets.

That victory saw the NDCA team win the MA Connolly Cup for the first time since the 2000-01 season.

Meppem told The Courier that he was proud of his team and said that it was a special feeling to win the MA Connolly Cup.

“It’s great for everyone, especially the young guys like Sid (Harvey) and Bernard (O’Connor), then also for the veterans like Sarge (Chris Sargent), Leesy (Jade Lees), Murph (Shane Murphy) and even myself.

“It’s been an enjoyable season with a good mix of players and I’m proud we could finish it off with a win today.”

Meppem said he wrestled with the idea of bowling first and was thankful that his opening bowlers ensured that it was the correct decision.

“There was a bit in the wicket thanks to the rain on Thursday and Friday and it was going to flatten out later,” Meppem said.

“It was a hard decision though. I’ve never chosen to bowl first in Narrabri.

“I thought that with our bowling lineup though we could take full advantage of the conditions.

“It turned out to be a good decision.

“Nath (Nathan Trindall) and Dyl (Dylan Smith) are probably the two best bowlers in the Northern Inland area really.

“It makes my job as captain pretty easy when they bowl like they did today. Once we got on a roll they bowled great length on a wicket that was doing enough. They were a class above.

“Our fielding was pretty good too even though a couple of catches went down. We took most of our chances.

“Then the batting. Low totals are always hard to chase but full credit to Cooper (Brayshaw) today, I thought he batted really well, which he actually has done the whole season.”

The Pink Slugs have certainly set the standard in the Northern Inland Cricket Council arena in recent years.

They won the War Veterans Cup in the 2017-18 and 2019-20 seasons and were the grand finalists in the 2018-19 War Veterans Cup and MA Connolly Cup campaigns.

They also finished as runners-up in the 2015-16 season War Veterans Cup competition, and were runners-up a year earlier in the 2014-15 MA Connolly Cup competition.