ROUND Swamp allrounder Ben France became the first local cricketer to score a limited over double century when he belted an unconquered 209 runs against Colts at John Oxley Sportsground last Saturday. He cracked 148 of those runs in boundaries, including 28 fours and six sixes. The only other score of over 200 that can be found was 214 not out by Reg King at Walcha Road during the 1930/40 season, a long time before limited overs was introduced.
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AS Walcha Cricket recording secretary, to the best of my knowledge, only seven batsmen have made 150 or more runs in a limited-over fixture played locally - Ben France 209 n.o., Peter Mooney 173, Nathan Goodwin 172 and 170, Dale Brazel 162, Mark Peters 160 and 152, Barry Hoy 155 and 151, along with Cameron Wood 154. My humblest apologies if I have missed anyone.
THE majority of individual records before the 1979-80 season were lost but during that season, Peter Boyd scored 161 runs in one dig and Denis Wall notched up 151, both against Rugby League, and both were two-day games.
COLTS left-hander and former County representative Rob Blomfield scored 195 runs in the 1973-74 grand final against Rugby Union, which Colts won by an innings and 114 runs. I got to admire "Bloomy's" batting that day from close range and nearly registered a ton of my own after going for 98 runs without taking a wicket.
RUGBY League captain Rob Laurie scored 191 runs against Rugby Union in a 1979/80 semi-final, and once again I got a close look at the action. Fortunately, this time I wasn't bowling, but put on a 127-run seventh-wicket partnership with "Truck".
Good luck to all the Walcha Central Primary School competitors who are off to Armidale for the PSSA District Swimming Carnival today.
LAST Saturday, Ben France and Barry Hoy were involved in a 187-run second-wicket partnership which would be fairly hard to top, but "Bazza" did just that when he joined forces with Mark Peters for a third-wicket partnership against Walcha Road back in 1994 which yielded 192 runs. Barry finished unbeaten on 151, while "Turbo" made 135.
BRAZEL brothers Dale and Robbie scored 253 runs for the second wicket against Bowling Club in February 1995. "Fox" finished 162, and "Rockin" reached 122 out of a team total of 383 - one more run than Swamp last Saturday. Innings were played over 45 overs back then instead of the 40 overs these days.
SANTA arrived a week early in 1979 when Memorial Club duo Gary Natty and Barry Nolan put on a 239-run partnership against Round Swamp just before Christmas. "Riley" made 124, while Barry finished with a neat ton.
BIG Wigs of the Week: Ben France 209 n.o., Barry Hoy 75, Josh Wellings 66 n.o., Brad Partridge 66, Cameron Wood 56, Ed Blomfield 52, Lee Harrison 44, Cameron Wood 4/24, Lachie Laurie 3/43.
APSLEY House proved superior when the Walcha Central School held their recent swimming carnival after finishing on 545 points followed by Oxley 459, Derby 451 and Fitzroy 323.
CONGRATULATIONS to all the champions from juniors right through to seniors. Stephanie Blake, Brock James, Elke Payne, Emily Blake, Toby Crawford, Jemma Warden, Shauna McKenna, Sarah Morris, Jackson Marchant, Isabella Hayton, Jayden Galvin, Anika McKenna, Louis Darcy, Jessica Wake, Dacian Andrews, Abbey Mackaway, Thomas Micallef, Hannah Dunn and Murdoc Chawner all finished at the top of their age group.
GOOD luck to all the Walcha Central Primary School competitors who are off to Armidale for the PSSA District Swimming Carnival today. Success there will mean qualification for the North West trials to be held in a couple of weeks. Secondary school swimmers qualify on times as there is no district carnival for them.
FLIPPERS member Hamish Warden performed well at his recent Ben Venue Carnival where he won all his age group races. Swimming against older kids in his 4x50m individual medley and 100m events, "Hammer" finished second after slicing 20 seconds off his PBs in both races.
At the crease
THE highlight of the final competition round of local cricket was a double century to Round Swamp allrounder Ben France, who scored an unbeaten 209 runs against Colts at John Oxley Sportsground on Saturday.
Swamp finished with 3/382 after France shared partnerships of 39 with Ben Cross (12), 187 with Barry Hoy (75), and 151 with Lee Harrison (44).
France cracked 28 fours and six sixes during his innings. Hoy hit 10 boundaries, harrison belted three fours the three sixes, while Cross scored all his runs in boundaries.
Wicket-takers for Colts were opener Thor Crombie, who took 2/62 off his eight overs, and his opening partner Jacob Sherrin 1/28 off three overs.
In reply, Colts made 7/237 where opener Josh Wellings led the way with his highest score of 66 not out and fellow opener Ed Blomfield made 52 before retiring hurt.
After 20 overs, Colts had reached 110 runs and realistically weren't in the hunt, but to their credit, they hung in there...
Number three batsman Jacob Sherrin scored 38 of his 44 runs in boundaries from five fours and three sixes, while Jason Boland finished 20 not out.
Most successful Swamp bowler was Lachie Laurie after he captured 3/43. Cross was next best with 2/18, while Ossie Kuhr claimed the other wicket to fall.
After 20 overs, Colts had reached 110 runs and realistically weren't in the hunt, but to their credit, they hung in there for their 40 overs to make 237 which would have been a pretty good score on most other days.
In the other match at the Park, minor premiers uralla got the job done against Kentucky, but didn't have it all their own way.
Batting first, Uralla made 8/226 thanks mainly to Cameron Wood who contributed 56, Nathan Swann with 38, Simon Wood 37, and Blaine Moore 20.
Kentucky opener Brad Partridge sent down 10 overs with three maidens to snare 2/21. Skipper Daniel Boyd picked up 2/53 off his nine over, Stephen Haslem took 2/55 off eight overs, while Steph Sweeney and Bryan Fenner both claimed a victim each.
Allrounder Partridge kept his team in the game by scoring 66 runs. Justin Gibson chipped in 26 runs, and opener Michael Aspinall and Daniel Blanch both made 18 runs.
Man of the match Cameron Wood captured 4/24 off 10 overs after opening the bowling. Jay Grills picked up 2/66 off his 10 overs. Matt Tasik grabbed 2/26, and Nathan Swann took the remaining wicket.
Minor premiers Uralla will host the major semi-final against Round Swamp at the Uralla Sports Complex this Saturday, while Kentucky take on Colts in the minor semi here at the Park.
