WESTERN Zone has pulled off a stunning comeback to defeat the Central Coast by 29 runs in its final 50-over match of the NSW Country Under 17s Championships at Raymond Terrace on Saturday.
Batting first, Western Zone were all out for 194 in the 49th over.
Western Zone skipper Henry Hunt was the star of the show, hitting 70 off 89 balls in a fourth-wicket partnership of 106 with Bathurst batsman Jeremy Judge (53).
Ben Page’s contribution of 22 off 19 late in the innings helped take the Western boys, coached by Orange’s Trent Colley and Dubbo’s Jordan Moran, to the competitive total just shy of 200. Central Coast’s Marc Mariner was the pick of the bowlers bagging 3-37.
In reply, Central Coast’s run chase started off in reasonable fashion, making it to 2-63 and then 3-118 as wicket-keeper batsman Kyle James went about smashing 86 at a touch over a run a ball rate to very nearly guide his side to victory.
But when James fell with the score at 4-132, so too did the Central Coast’s hopes of winning.
Dubbo quick Ben Patterson returned to destroy the tail, claiming 4-13 - capping off a stellar tournament.
The collapse of 7-33 handed Western the win.
Orange and Kinross pair Nick Duffy and Charlie Litchfield experienced a mixed competition, with Duffy claiming 1-11 off four overs against the Central Coast and 2-52 in seven overs in the 148-run loss against Riverina. Litchfield scored two and seven in his two stints at the crease in the 50 over games.
