JARROD Urza finished last season playing third grade cricket in Orange, but on Saturday he helped Bathurst City to an important outright win in the Bathurst Orange Inter District Cricket competition.
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Urza's ability to bowl full and straight at the stumps saw him snare 6-20 in his 12-over spell against Kinross.
It helped dismiss Kinross, who had managed 100 in their first innings the previous Saturday, for just 85 runs. It saw Bathurst City become the first side in the BOIDC this season to notch up an outright win and keeps them in the hunt for finals cricket.
While Urza played just two games of BOIDC last season for Orange CYMS and did not manage to take a wicket in the 13 overs he was given, on Saturday Bathurst City skipper Joey Coughlan did not hesitate to throw him the ball.
Coughlan had played alongside Urza in Redbacks first XI's in previous summers and knew what he was capable of.
"He always just bowls full and straight at the stumps, I know that's what you're going to get with him, and it paid dividends," Coughlan said.
"I don't think a lot of people rate his bowling, but I know how he bowls and I can set a field to how he bowls. I think people have struggled to set fields to him and back him.
"But he's not got problem with that for us, I think that's his third or fourth five-for in first grade for us."
I don't think a lot of people rate his bowling, but I know how he bowls and I can set a field to how he bowls.
- Joey Coughlan on Jarrod Urza
Before Urza did the job with the ball for Redbacks, the Bathurst side was looking to quickly add to its 4-105 in reply to Kinross' 100 from day one. They had first innings honours, but wanted an outright.
They suffered a setback when Mark Day (25) was bowled on the first delivery of the day, but when Craig Townsend arrived at the crease he did exactly as his skipper ordered with a quick-fire, unbeaten 65.
"He batted unbelievably well, I knew he could do it, but just getting that bit of confidence I think he'll be sweet now and do a good job for us for the rest of the season," Coughlan said. "Towney just went bang, bang, he almost went at a run-a-ball."
It allowed Coughlan to declare at the first drinks break at 6-204. Kinross needed 105 to avoid outright defeat, but they took a conservative approach. Though they were not scoring quickly, they weren't losing wickets.
"It was a funny one, I think I had seven slips and a point on the off-side at one stage and one bloke on the leg side and they still wouldn't hit a shot through covers," Coughlan said.
The Redbacks skipper opted to change up the line and length by throwing Urza the ball. He delivered as he reduced Kinross to 3-19. They didn't recover.
Clint Moxon (2-16 off 11) and Townsend (2-18 off 2.5) helped finish Kinross off after 41.5 overs.
"Just that change of line and length with Jarrod was what we needed to start the roll. The Moxo came on and took another couple so he ended up with nine for the match which is awesome, and Towny stole the last couple with his leg spin," Coughlan said.
