Orange City turned to the young and old to secure crucial Bathurst Orange Inter-District Cricket points on Saturday ahead of a much anticipated clash with another of the competition's big dogs next round.
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With skipper and all-rounder Ed Morrish on representative duty with Western Zone in Goulburn this weekend, the Warriors knocked off Bathurst City thanks to a serious spell of quick bowling from young-gun Harry McGregor and then a composed knock from 40-year-old Andrew Gordon to steer the defending premiers home by five wickets.
Day one of their round five clash was washed out, and stand-in skipper Lachy Coyte said given 15 wickets fell and over 260 runs were scored it made for a "crazy" day.
Still, the Warriors were able to chase down their Bathurst City rivals' relatively modest total of 131, ensuring the BOIDC champions remain in third on the ladder, just adrift of the top two in Cavaliers and St Pat's Old Boys - City will take on the blue and whites next week at Wade Park in another two-day game.
McGregor's 4-21 ripped the heart out of the Redbacks' top order and Gordon's unbeaten 55 proved key in the chase.
Coyte (40), who put on 83 for the fifth wicket alongside Gordon after the pair came together at the crease with the game in a precarious position at 4-43 chasing 132 for victory, said Gordon's short time at Orange City is littered with moments just like Saturday's innings.
Harry was unreal. He really stepped up with Ed (Morris) away.
- Lachy Coyte on fast bowler Harry McGregor
"He's one of the older fellas in the side ... he sort of looks after all of us. And when it comes time like (on Saturday) when he needs to step up to the plate, he does just that and shows what he's capable of," Coyte said.
The former grade cricketer and Imparja Cup champion looms as a key figure in City's premiership defence in 2020-21.
As does McGregor, with the young tearaway coming on to bowl his first spell on Saturday with the Redbacks nicely placed at 0-36 and Tom Lynch (36) and Craig Townsend (13) at the crease.
The Orange High School student then removed both, as well as first drop Oliver Simpson (7), to leave the Redbacks reeling at 3-58. They lost consistent wickets thereafter.
"Harry was unreal. He really stepped up with Ed away," Coyte said glowing of McGregor's showing with the new ball.
He said the Warriors weren't looking beyond the game they were currently contesting, but next week's huge clash with St Pat's Old Boys will be a telling one as the make-up of the BOIDC's top four begins to take shape.
Cavaliers (29), St Pat's Old Boys (28) and City (27) make up the top three. City Colts (17), Rugby Union (15) and CYMS (12) look set to battle it out for fourth.
"It's still early in the season. At this stage of the year it's really a game of time and we're just trying to capatilise when we can," Coyte added.
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