The final of the NSW Country Plate ended at Pratten Park, Ashfield with a dramatic last wicket to Singleton after being on track for a comprehensive win only a few overs earlier. Their opponents were a ‘Country Association’ affiliated to the Albury Wodonga Cricket Association. Most of their members are Victorians.
The wicket had been covered overnight and was and hard as a rock, though it had a little more grass cover than the typical local strip.
Unsurprisingly the southerners elected to bat on winning the toss but lost wickets regularly with Brandon Carman and Alex Staffa each taking a wicket and another Isaac Barry run out reducing them to 3/18.
Barry then took the ball for the first time in several weeks adding to Singleton’s bowling stocks.
He broke a threatening partnership on 51 and after that wickets fell with regularity thanks largely to the spin of Nathan Hudson and Steve Albel.
With half the team out, rain threatened but only a quarter of an hour was lost as Hudson and Abel mopped up the tail. Hudson for the third week in a row took four wickets. The Albury/Wodonga outfit were bowled out for just 79.
Singleton lost Hudson for 14 at 22 but then looked settled as skipper Jackson Cox made 20 and Ross Parker 19.
But from then on, some very useful bowling, maybe a little impatience and some fine fielding saw Singleton still needing ten to win and nine down, having lost four wickets on 60.
With the last pair at the crease there were some nerves in the Singleton camp. Kyle Bailey, 7 not out and Carman 2 not out held out to win by one wicket.
With in a few minutes of stumps being drawn heavy rain began to fall. The umpires who had the task of picking a ‘player of the final’, selected Nathan Hudson as the recipient of the medal. In accepting the Plate, Jackson Cox briefly thanked all concerned as the rain continued to fall and the quickly introduced his team to receive their winner’s medals.
The last Singleton team to win a State Title were the Singleton High School Girls who won the Marie Cornish Shield in 1995.
-Michael Akrill
