VETERAN Murray McCartney answered the call to open the bowling for Taree United in the Manning T1 cricket grand final against Wingham at Chatham Park.
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United won the game by four wickets to clinch their third successive premiership.
However, United's stocks took a hit with the unavailability of regular new ball bowler, Jackson Witts.
"I spoke to Muz about opening the bowling while we were watching the under 17s grand final that morning,'' United captain Josh Ferris said.
"He hasn't bowled much for a few years, apart from indoor cricket, but he said he'd give it a go.''
Once the leading all-rounder in the district, McCartney generally keeps wickets these days. Wingham won the toss, elected to bat and McCartney opened the bowling with Tom Burley. Burley usually bowls spin due to an issue with his shoulder, however, he managed four overs of medium pace before reverting to spin and claimed 1/24 from eight.
Ferris said McCartney did everything asked of him, bowling four tidy overs and capturing the wicket of Wingham opener Nick Beacham for 9. He finished with 1/7 before taking over the wicket keeping duties for the remainder of the innings.
Competitive
Wingham made a competitive 6/146 from the 40 overs. Vice captain Hudson Bird top scored with 48 from 88 balls. He was dismissed when trying to up the tempo late in the innings and was well caught on the boundary by Tash Abbott off Ricky Campbell.
Another veteran all-rounder, Mick Stinson, went into the game under an injury cloud after straining a hamstring while batting in the major semi-final. However, Stinson provided great support for Bird in making an unbeaten 26.
Earlier skipper Dave Rees was typically aggressive 35 from 34 balls, hitting three boundaries.
"Hudson Bird and Stino both batted really well,'' Ferris said.
"We didn't really look like getting them out, but they didn't get away from us either.''
Ferris calculated that if United could limit Wingham to a score under 150 they'd be well placed to win the game.
Openers Burley and Matt Collier then gave United a solid half century start. Collier also had injury concerns going into the game due to a knee problem. However, he batted patiently for 88 balls to top score with 47. Burley made 21.
"We did fall behind in the run rate for a while,'' Ferris said.
"Ricky (Campbell) then made 27 in quick time and that helped.''
Campbell hit four boundaries in facing 27 deliveries. However, it came down to Ferris and 17-year-old Zane Hopkins who is in his debut T1 season, to score the remaining runs.
"I had a word to Zane before he went out to bat and he was fine,'' Ferris said.
Hopkins hit the winning runs. He was unbeaten on 6, with Ferris 2.
Dave Rees with 2/29 was the most successful of the bowlers.
"Steve Allwood bowled well early and didn't give away too many runs,'' Ferris said.
"But I thought Stino (Mick Stinson) was their best.''
Stinson finished with 1/26 from eight overs.
United took 38.5 overs to make the runs and claim their consecutive premiership.
