ARMIDALE’S junior rep cricketers began the season in fine form on Sunday when the under-14s and under-16s teams defeated Gunnedah in round one of the Northern Inland Representative Competition.
Armidale’s under-16s team posted the modest score of 160 batting first, but then managed to bowl Gunnedah out for 122 in 45 overs. Tom Stier led the way with the bat for Armidale scoring 41 not out. He was well supported by his teammates most of whom made decent starts before falling victim to Gunnedah’s bowlers.
The Gunnedah batsmen found Lochie Elks’ bowling difficult to play and Lochie finished with 2/7 from his 7.1 overs. Tom Lashlie also claimed two wickets in a game Gunnedah must have thought was well within their grasp until the middle order collapsed and they were all out without managing to bat out their allotted overs.
A couple of blocks away at Lambert Park the Armidale under-14s also batted first chalking up 220 runs from their 50 overs. Liam Neeson, continuing his excellent form of late, scored 78 runs. He was well supported by Henry Smith who made 47.
Armidale was confident they could defend their 220 until Gunnedah made a blistering start to their innings with a good opening partnership in which both batsmen seemed to regularly find the gaps in the field.
At 2/99 after 20 overs the result was looking ominous until the spin attack of Jack Carey and Daniel Boyd managed to contain the run scoring. Armidale’s spinners were able to build some pressure and the wickets began to fall with Gunnedah losing their next six batsmen for just 41 runs.
Captain Jack Carey then threw the ball to wicket keeper Brendan Knowles who cleaned up the tail, taking two wickets in his 1.2 overs. In the end Gunnedah could only manage 144 runs in reply to Armidale’s 220.
The Armidale under-12s weren’t quite so lucky as their older counterparts losing their game by 57 runs despite a valiant 28 by Cotter Litchfield. Gunnedah bowler Hayden Baker took 5/9 from six overs including a hat trick, and their opening batsman Oscar King scored 83 to put the game out of reach of Armidale.
Armidale’s under-12s and 14s travel to Moree next Sunday while the under-16 team has a bye.
