It was a big weekend of cricket with three games played at Ward Oval in the senior Twenty/20, 40 Overs and Brewery Shield competitions.
In the Brewery Shield competition, the Cobar Cowboys representative team survived a scare against Bourke winning a close match by two wickets on Sunday.
After winning the toss, Bourke batted first.
The visitors were bowled out in the 38th over for a total of 136 after a disciplined bowling display by Cobar.
The Cowboys’ opening bowlers Tristan Everett (1/25) and Mark Fraser (1/14) set the tone for Cobar early on with Everett claiming the first wicket at the start of the 6th over with Bourke at 1/13.
Jason Hampel, with figures of 4/29, was the pick of the Cobar bowlers and Ryan Urquhart (2/18) finished off the tail.
In reply, despite scoring quickly, Cobar lost regular wickets.
Their middle order of Jason Hampel (20), Tristan Everett (18) and Jake Harbison (15) all got starts but couldn’t capitalise and go on to big scores.
The Cowboys looked to be in trouble when they were seven down and still needed 58 runs.
The Cowboys’ tail end, Mark Fraser (34 not out) and Ryan Urquhart (10 not out) however did the job and got Cobar home in a tense finish.
Fraser and Urquhart held their nerve and Cobar reached the target in the 34th over (with a wicket to spare) to secure the win.
The Cowboys welcomed Chris Mitchell and Nabeel Rashid for their first representative games for Cobar on Sunday with the pair presented with the team yellow caps prior to the start of the game.
Cobar hosts Narromine this Sunday for the next round of the Brewery Shield competition.
In the Twenty/20 competition match on Friday night, the Tilpa/Bushies (Tushies) team defeated Howie’s Hombres by 57 runs.
Batting first, the Tushies made 4/140 runs.
Openers Jade Buckman (52) and Adam Hill (48) top scored with Nabeel Rashid contributing 17 and he remained not out.
In reply, Hombres made 8/83 from their 20 overs.
Joe Regan (21) and Ben McBride (13) top scored for Hombres.
Rashid returned the best bowling figures for Tushies taking two wickets for five runs off his three overs.
In the 40 Overs competition match on Saturday, Empire defeated Golf Club by six wickets.
Batting first, Golf Club only managed 61 runs as Empire’s young bowler, Ryan Urquhart ripped through Golf Club’s batting line-up taking five wickets for 14 runs off seven overs.
Jack Brown picked up two wickets and Nicola Harbison and Tristan Everett also accounted for one wicket each.
In reply, Golf Club claimed four wickets however in form Empire batsman, Jay Egan, guided his team to victory and remained at the crease on 40 not out.
For Golf Club, Mark Fraser grabbed two wickets and Jason Hampel and Jake Harbison took one apiece.—contributed
