Veteran cricketers prepare for State championships

With batsmen having to retire at 35 balls or 35 runs and bowlers limited to seven overs, the aim was to get as many in each team some game time in preparation for the forthcoming NSW championships in Maitland.

Two teams from Mid North Coast as well as visitors, Quirindi and Coffs Harbour, got to do just that as they played on the excellent facilities.

Battling the drought and, ironically, sporadic rain and cooler conditions in the lead-up, local 'wicket wizard', Ken Garland got the sides on for a great four matches.

Day one saw MNC North (5/153) defeat Quirindi (7/124) and Coffs Harbour 5/128 defeat MNC South 7/128 on least wickets lost.

For MNC North, Peter Morris (35), Ken Ogilvie (24) and Mike Bulmer (24) led the way with the willow for the Coasties, while Quirindi skipper, John Southam, defied time again to take 1/2 off four, assisted by Roger McGuirk 1/12, Maurie Hamilton 1/5 and Ray Bastian 2/20.

Quirindi were in the hunt but faltered in the last 10 overs as the Coasties handled the pressure and applied the throttle to stifle the chase. A number of their batsmen made starts but couldn't kick on and the Coast bowlers turned the screws.

Morris with 2/17 topped off his man of the match batting on a tough deck and was well supported by John McGowan (2/16), Kev Pike (1/17), Chas Viner (1/14) and Alex Rullis, who cleaned up the tail with 2/5, to put the home side into the final.

Morris (MNC North) and Stewart (Quirindi) were adjudged players of the match.

The other match proved a humdinger, again seeing the ball dominate on a deck that had some juice and required batsmanship.

Sent in, Coffs had Australian 60s rep and local product, Eric Higgins, show his class as he retired for 28. Russ Gill (24) and Alex McDonald (19) also got in the bank and a number of others made double figures against some accurate South bowling.

Gav Gillard bowled a miserly seven overs for 0/15, frequently beating the bat whilst having a number of chances missed.

Kev Walker (1/5), Bob McWilliams (1/12) and Pete Ninness (1/16) chipped in whilst all bowlers used the conditions well.

South was in trouble at 4/35 in the chase as the Coffs openers and change bowlers also utilised the wicket to strangle the run rate.

The middle-order hung in though and Barry Everingham (23) and Gillard (22) both retired but it was Steve Cass with 15 off 17 who made the task more achievable.

Unfortunately for the other home side, the Coffs bowlers and fielders held their nerve, amongst some helter-skelter hitting and running between wickets - Johnny Lambert doing a great job of leading the way and nearly pulling off the win.

Brian Russell bowled a superb last over which saw action aplenty as the Coast chased the last 4 for the win. A dot ball, a runout, a single, a two to tie and then another wicket saw 1 run off 1 needed.

Bowling a killer last ball, Russell ensured the scores remained locked and a place in the final was the prize for the northern invaders.

He finished with 2/19 off his 6 whilst an accurate and miserly Terry Crossland (1/9), bowled seven straight at the start. He was well supported by Higgins (1/16) and Terry Herbert, showing immaculate control with 2/12 off 7, while Graham Doust also bowled well and without luck for 0/19 off 7.

Gillard (MNC South) and Higgins (Coffs) were presented with player of the match prizes.

The second day saw the playoff match between Quirindi and MNC South change the run rates somewhat back to normal, even though there was still some juice about for the bowlers.

Sent in, Quirindi made a steady start with Ray Bastian scoring an aggressive and well played 18 before being run out by Warren McWilliams.

Then followed a steady fall of wickets to see the visitors at 5 for 58 but still determined to push along. The South's Darrell Little then took a screamer to get rid of Rick Sampson for a typical, swashbuckling 26, a second such catch around the corner, after Gillard had snavelled danger man Bob Haling for a duck.

At 6/81 things looked sticky for the inland crew but the Quirindi pair of consistent performers in Roger McGuirk (31) and Jim Stewart (39) both kicked the score along and retired before coming back at the end.

Ronny Farrell chipped in with 19 batting at 10 and the total looked handy - all out for 167 on a wicket that needed focus on when stick in hand.

Gillard was again excellent with 2/23 off his seven while Cass (1/26), Warren McWilliams (2/16), Chris Steinmetz (1/24) and Peter Ninness (2/29 off 7) all made inroads. A highlight was the generally excellent catching on a tiring body of old blokes but the run chase was going to have to be well constructed.

And so it proved to be as a steady opening stand saw the stylish Gloucester local, James Laurie (22ret) and Warren McWilliams (12ret) get the home side to 1/34 off 13. Another home town local in John Parish (25ret) rode his luck but, with patience, worked into his comeback innings and combined with Everingham (35ret) to see the score reach 1/100.

Cass (20) then again added some vim and vigour in a fine partnership with Gillard (23) before both fell and at 3/146 with 8 overs remaining it was up to the tail. Stephen Withers (11no) and Darrell Little (17no) stayed on track and did well to round out the win at 3 for 172 in the 37th over.

It was a fine chase on a wicket that needed discerning batting against a foe which tried hard for the breakthrough with numerous bowling changes tried. Jim Stewart (1/18 off 7) and skipper Southam (0/23 off 6) bowled tightly with Haling (1/12) and Farrell (1/33) chipping in amongst other toilers.

Interestingly, Gillard and Stewart both received their second MOM awards and wrapped up fine efforts by them both in a full on weekend.

The final was a contrasting style of game in which Coffs followed up their restrictive bowling of the lead in on day one with a vice-like grip on all batsmen bar one. Trevor Coles (15ret) and Bill Ireland (13ret) supported the North's 'gun' in Peter Morris, who again showed intent and scored a fine 35 retired against good bowling.

Sundries did well to add 22 as the home side were constricted to a low 6/109 on what was deemed an okay wicket.

Credit went to the Coffs bowlers who all did the job with Terry Crossland (3/20 off 7) backing up his first-day effort. He was aided by Brett Gorham (2/21 off 6), Higgins (0/6 off 4), Doust (0/21 off 7), Russell (0/17 off 7) and Herbert (1/5 off 7).

The strong Coffs batting line up looked in a spot of bother at 2 for 30 but Higgins showed his class again with a quickfire 35 retired and he was ably supported by a well compiled 25 retired by Gorham. Herbert (24 off 16) made a short innings of it with help from a couple of others and Coffs had taken the title in the 22nd over.

Crossland took player of the match honours for the winning side while Morris became the third recipient to 'double up' and be awarded the honour for the Coastie North.

Organiser James Laurie and his crew of locals, particularly groundsman Ken Garland, did a super job to get the games on after some non-drought weather had intervened in the lead up.

All sides had a good workout with a number from each squad looking forward to heading to Maitland in October.