A NINTH wicket partnership of 92 between Geoff Matheson and Toby Barry proved to be a match winner for Bulahdelah in the Manning T2 cricket clash against Taree West Thunder at the Johnny Martin Oval.
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The competition leaders were precariously placed at 8/86 when Barry joined his skipper at the crease. When Matheson was dismissed for 66 (10 boundaries) Bulahdelah were 9/178 on the way to making 181. Barry remained not out on 32.
Adam McLeod troubled all the Bulahdelah batters, finishing with the figures of 3/8 from 8 overs. McLeod, Ben Aurisch (3/28) and Jacob Smith (2/28) were the most successful of the seven bowlers used by Taree West. Aurisch broke the Matheson/Barry partnership.
Thunder was in early trouble at 2/29 before a partnership between Will Gregory and Adam McLeod took the score to 87. Gregory made an aggressive 42 from 34 deliveries, smashing one boundary and four sixes.
McLeod was the eighth batter dismissed after he'd scored 36.
Thunder made 133 in reply.
Ross Metcalfe finished with the top figures of 5/36 from his eight overs for Bulahdelah. Blake Matheson had early success and claimed 2/6 while Noel Matheson took 2/16.
Bulahdelah leads the competition with 81 points and looks assured of the minor premiership with three rounds to go before the semi-finals. Thunder is battling to make the T3 playoffs and needs favourable results in the next three weeks to have any chance of qualifying.
