ACCORDING to A. J.’s father Wayne, the only blemish Andrew made all day was to second guess one of his club selections, and when he flushed his shot, over-cooked it to put himself in a bit of trouble. Still a great effort anyway, A. J.

ROUND Swamp Cricket Club won their 23^rd Turton Cup last Saturday and their third in succession when they defeated Colts at the Park. The Swampies opened their account in 1939 and notched up a hat-trick between 1989 and 1991 before repeating the “three-peat” the last three seasons.

SINCE Bowling Club won the Turton Cup in 2006, only Swamp or Colts have been victorious after that. Swamp have recorded nine titles while Colts won on the other four occasions.

TURTON Cup countback – Round Swamp scored 752 runs at a loss of 20 wickets and took 41 wickets for 705 runs (218.66 per cent). Uralla scored 889 runs at a cost of 28 wickets while taking 38 wickets for 767 runs (157.33 per cent).

CONGRATULATIONS to the Walcha District Cricket team after they belted Armidale by more than 100 runs in their Connolly inter-district match at the Armidale Sportsground last Sunday. The visitors batted first, scoring 281 runs for the loss of nine wickets and then dismissed the home side for 176.

NUMBER three batsman Nick Endacott hit a game high 62 runs, Cameron Wood chipped in with a whirlwind 52 runs off 30 deliveries, and teenager Daniel Boyd contributed 38 valuable runs. To add salt to Armidale’s wounds, number 9 Lee Harrison and number 11 Andrew Fuller smashed an unbeaten 49-run tenth wicket partnership off just 26 balls.

ONE batsman that would have been disappointed not to get among the runs was consistent Colts opener Ed Blomfield who has been scoring plenty in the local competition. Unfortunately for Eddie, at Armidale he had his furniture rearranged on the second ball he faced, falling for a silver duck.

A COUPLE of Saturdays ago, Walcha Golf Club life members John Mann and Max Holstien played in the Walcha Veterans Open with Brisbane golfer John Sellwood where their combined ages was 255 years as stated in Sports Shorts last week.

“MING” and “Max” are both 86 years young, while “Banana Bender” John is 83. “Ming” shot under his age for the upteenth time a few weeks ago and, while Max is starting to slow down a bit, he was a very good all-round sportsman in his younger days, especially at cricket and tennis.

QUITE a few years back, Max drew the short straw when he had me as a partner in a tennis doubles match. When I asked him which side of the court he wanted to play on, Max politely replied, “you pick your best side, and I’ll take the other”. During the match, I noticed Max didn’t play any backhand shots, they were all forehands. He changed his racquet from hand to hand, depending where he was on the court.

SWIMMING Club sign-on day is next Tuesday after school at the pool. Flippers president Angus Warden also hopes to run a few races on the day after those interested in becoming a club member sign on.

ROUND Swamp are the 2018-19 Turton Cup winners despite finishing on equal competition points with Uralla after the final round was played last Saturday.

Swamp had a better runs for-and-against percentage 218 to 157.

Last Saturday, Swamp defeated an under-strength Colts outfit with three overs up their sleeve, reaching their assigned total for a loss of four wickets.

Colts batted first, making 4/141 off their allotted 20 overs spearheaded by Paul Pittman who hit a game high 71 runs, and opener Ed Blomfield with 51 runs.

The pair put on a 94 second wicket partnership before Blomfield was caught by Ben France off the bowling of Lachie Fletcher, while Pittman remained undefeated.

Opener Fletcher captured 2/19, while fellow opener Lee Harrison and Clint Lyon both picked up a wicket. 

In reply, Swamp openers Steve Eveleigh and Ben France put on 48 runs before Eveleigh had his castle disturbed by Blomfield after he reached 27 runs.

France went on to make 44, Barry Hoy was unconquered on 36 and Harrison chipped in with 20 runs.

Blomfield snared 2/40 while Troy Tape and Pittman grabbed a victim each.

In the other, Uralla set Kentucky a total of 137 off their 20 overs for a loss of six wickets at the Uralla Sports Complex.

Opener Nathan Swann top-scored for the home side with 38 runs Shannon Rafferty made 32 not out, Jay Grills 29 and Andrew Fuller 22.

Best of the Kentucky bowlers was first change Stephen Haslem with 4/26 off his four overs while Daniel Blanch snared the other two scalps at a cost of 22 runs.

Kentucky had made 7/108 when stumps were drawn, of which Thomas Boyd contributed 39 runs, including four sixes.

Next best was Brad Partridge on 24, and Ben Abraham made 13.

For Uralla, Grills picked up 2/20 and Rafferty 2/23 while Fuller, Swann and Cameron Wood all took a wicket each.