Central North goes down fighting at Country Championships in Tamworth

Central North fought hard but was forced to settle for fourth place in pool A of Cricket NSW’s McDonald’s Country Championships after three days of cricket in Tamworth.

The Central North men went into their third and final match on Sunday clinging to hope that they could top the pool ladder and progress to the final against the winners of pool B.

However, the side suffered a loss in that match against Greater Illawarra, which meant that it placed fourth on the four-team ladder.

Narrabri RSL Cricket Club opening bowler and Narrabri District Cricket Association’s MA Connolly Cup team captain Nathan Trindall and his Pink Slugs teammate and Western Razorbacks skipper Dylan Smith were both part of the Central North side.

Only Trindall lined up for the host zone in Friday’s opening round game, and Central North was demolished by the defending champions Newcastle at Bicentennial Park (Number One Oval).

Newcastle skipper Nick Foster won the toss and elected to bowl in that match and his side ripped through Central North, taking all 10 wickets at the expense of just 72 runs.

Trindall was one of his side’s best with the bat despite entering late at number 10. He scored 11 runs before he was dismissed, caught and bowled, which was the team’s second-highest score.

Adam McGuirk made a team-best 26 runs from 63 balls and was the last Central North batsman to fall as the innings came to a close in 27.2 overs.

McGuirk then assisted the home side’s only wicket when he caught Newcastle opener Daniel Arms (15) from the bowling of Tait Jordan.

Joseph Gillard (18*) and Jeffrey Goninan (38*) then guided Newcastle to a nine-wicket win as the chasing side reached the required total in just 13.1 overs.

The other round one game was won by Greater Illawarra, which beat North Coastal by six wickets after chasing 210 in 45.3 overs.

Central North met North Coastal on day two on Saturday, and the hosts scored a one-wicket win at Bicentennial Park.

North Coastal batted first after it won the toss, and it made 153 runs before losing its final wicket in the 40th over.

Trindall took 2-16 off six overs in that innings, which included three maidens, and Smith finished with 1-32 from six overs.

Central North lost nine wickets in its chase but eventually got the job done as McGuirk top-scored with an unbeaten 35 from 52 balls to guide the hosts to victory.

Trindall joined McGuirk for the last wicket partnership when Central North required 11 runs to win. The Pink Slugs skipper struck a boundary to get off the mark and finished unbeaten on four as the hosts held on to win in a nail-biting finish.

The other match on day two was won by Newcastle, which took down Greater Illawarra by 32 runs after making 5-280 and then knocking over the chasing side for 248 in 48.1 overs.

Central North needed to win big and earn a bonus point on day three to have any chance of topping pool A, and it also needed Newcastle to lose for that to happen.

While Newcastle did go down, by 131 runs against North Coastal, the Central North men were beaten by three wickets by Greater Illawarra.

Central North made 8-228 after being sent in at Bicentennial Park and again McGuirk top-scored, this time with an unbeaten 82 as he finished the tournament averaging 145.

Trindall and Smith did not bat in that match, but both took a wicket in the game’s second innings. Smith claimed 1-20 from 4.2 overs, and Trindall took 1-34 from six overs.

The Central North men took seven wickets in total before the chasing side reached the required total in the 45th over.

The final ladder standings in pool A are as follows (points in brackets): Newcastle (13), Greater Illawarra (12), North Coastal (6), Central North (6).