BATHURST City's finals chances were given a big boost on Saturday as a match-winning century partnership between captain Joey Coughlan and young gun Tom Lynch provided plenty of fireworks at George Park 1.
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Coughlan (93) and Lynch (70) put on 144 runs together against - the biggest opening wicket stand of the Bathurst Orange Inter District Cricket season to date - to help Redbacks easily chase down CYMS' total of 219 with five overs to spare.
The Redbacks captain may have missed out on the bonus point he craved but he was thrilled by the maturity Lynch showed at the crease with the pressure on him to score quickly.
"He's beyond his years, this kid," he said.
"He was telling me what to do during the partnership. I had a big top edge when I was on 20 and he pulled me into line.
"How he didn't make the Western colts team is beyond me. Back when I was playing in that side I would have loved a Tom Lynchy in my team. He can bat, bowl and he's a gun in the field. He does it all.
Lynch had already enjoyed an amazing day with the ball, taking 4-20, and had claimed the prized scalp of Tom Satterthwaite (78).
CYMS' number 10 Jack Cale hit a crucial 51 to rescue the team's innings and give them something to defend but the Redbacks opening duo with the bat were seeing the ball well.
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Their innings came to an end when Lynch ran himself out but Oliver Simpson (19) stepped into the supporting role well as Coughlan continued to tee off.
Coughlan came up just short of what would have been his first century of the competition when he was bowled by Cale.
It was the first time in his life Coughlan could recall being dismissed in the 90s.
"I was chasing the bonus point and I didn't even realise what I was on," he said.
"I walked off and asked the guys 'What did I get? Seventy? Eighty?' and they all went quiet. I said 'What's up?' and they said 'You got 93'.
"It's my first time out in the 90s but that doesn't matter. I was just out there going for that bonus point."
Simpson also ran himself out before Mark Day (9 not out) and Jaidyn Hutchings (8 not out) came in to finish the job, with little to no pressure on them.
Cale (1-34) and Mitch Winslade (1-40) were the CYMS wicket takers.
City's Ben Orme impressed in his return from injury with 2-31.
The win for Redbacks has pushed them up to fifth on the ladder and turned up the pressure on CYMS in the process, who now sit 12 points out of the top four.
Redbacks are just three points away from the new fourth placed side, Rugby Union.