A STAR performance with the bat from Bathurst’s Cooper Brien proved crucial on Tuesday night when he and his Country team-mates edged out City in a thrilling Western NSW Under 15 Select Twenty20 exhibition match.
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Brien blasted 30 runs from 24 deliveries after his side won the toss and batted first, helping Country to 7-125.
An incredible spell of death bowling by ACT Blue’s Felix Bennett then helped Country claim a narrow, six-run win.
City had worked its way to 5-114 in reply and with three overs left they looked likely to cruise to victory until Bennett – who’d taken 1-13 in his initial, two-over spell with the new ball – made his presence felt.
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He returned to the attack in the 18th over and promptly produced a triple-wicket maiden to leave City reeling at 8-114 and needing 11 from 12 deliveries after that.
City did knock off five runs in the penultimate over, but Brien again proved his worth to Country as he produced a run-out. Bennett then maintained his composure to concede only a single from the first four balls of the 20th over before snaring the final, match-sealing wicket with the fifth.
In his final two overs the young gun took a ridiculous 4-2, finishing with stunning figures of 5-15 from his four overs in a player-of-the-game performance.
Earlier Brien shone at the top of the order before retiring as per the clash’s rules – put in place to ensure all of the composite sides’ players take a role – and combined with South Coast’s Sam McLennan (12) to add 26 for the first wicket.
The dig continued his recent form, Brien knocked up a mercurial, unbeaten 79 on Monday’s opening day of the carnival as Mitchell downed Mosman.
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With Dubbo’s Preston Beauchamp (22) and Illawarra’s Nate Ruddock (12) also making inroads, Country worked its way to 5-102 before a crucial, quick-fire 26 from ACT Yellow’s Dylan Brick catapulted the side above 120.
Mosman’s Luke Harrison was City’s best the ball, taking 2-7, while Blacktown’s Neerav Hemadari also snared multiple scalps, finishing with 2-20. Sydney Academy’s Josh Gooderick (1-32) picked up a wicket too.
The win squared the ledger after City claimed a five-wicket win in the under 13 carnival’s equivalent a week earlier, in which Blacktown Black’s Liam Newman won man-of-the-match after his 33 off 19 deliveries – featuring four fours and two sixes.
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Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
