MOREE’S junior representative cricket sides began their campaigns under a scorching sun against Inverell on Sunday with the under 12s cruising to victory while the under 14s edged to a win and the under 16s notched a narrow loss.
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All teams played a reduced format game as the mercury rose to 40 degrees. The under 12s played 32 overs instead of the scheduled 40 and both older teams played 40 not 50 overs.
The under 12s complied 175 runs for three wickets and had their opponents on the brink of dismissal at 9/78. Alec Manchee top scored with 50 not out while Jack Matthews and Joe Ticehurst were both not out for 22. Andrew Kirk was run out for 19.
Matthews and Ticehurst also chipped in with the ball, taking 1/3 and 1/7 respectively. Kirk took 2/5, Edward Montgomery 2/12, Lliam Lawson 2/13 and Lachlan Lawson 1/8.
For the visitors, Jake House scored 21 not out and took 1/12, Jarrod White scored 16 and Jack Biddle scored five and took 1/11.
Moree Junior Cricket Club vice president and under 12s coach, Jeremy Matthews, was impressed with his side’s performance.
“Considering it was 40 degrees, I thought the guys played tremendously well,” he said. “They bowled very nicely and we ended up having a comfortable victory.”
Matthews said the under 12s were looking to build on two successive grand final appearances by claiming the Ross Panton Cup this season.
The under 14s dismissed Inverell for 148 with Jack Montgomery taking three wickets in his final over to finish with figures of 3/16. Henry Robinson also took three wickets, conceding 20 runs, while Chris Sim took two.
Montgomery top scored with 68 not out and hit the winning single. A misfield and overthrow runs saw the boys make 151 runs with just a wicket to spare.
Meanwhile, Moree’s first under 16s side in three years went down to a strong Inverell side which held the home team to 6/114. The visiting bowlers shared the spoils with JW Smith having the best figures of 1/12.
Grady Sinclair was 41 not out while Scott Palombo was dismissed for 33.
Palombo also took a wicket while Royce Carroll was the best of the Moree bowlers with 2/11.
Palombo won’t be playing for under 16s when they travel to Narrabri next week as the Moree junior cricket star will be representing the Central North under 17s side at the state carnival.
Moree Junior Cricket Club president, Mike Montgomery, described Palombo’s selection as a “major achievement”, particularly given that he would be playing amongst older cricketers.
The junior representative cricketers will play another four games this season, with next week’s game against Narrabri followed by home games against Gunnedah on November 30 and Tamworth on December 7. The boys will head to Armidale on February 15 next year for the last game of the group stages.
The top two sides from each age group will meet in a grand final held on February 22.