Tamworth District Cricket Association: Middlebrook scores a pair of 80s to secure Twenty20 wins

The skipper then took apart the South Tamworth attack to score 87 not out and led Old Boys to their second win – in a rain-affected match where both sides batted 16 overs each – at the Twenty20 gala day.

In total, Middlebrook cracked 15 fours and eight maximums across the two innings as he opened the batting in place of regular opener Simon Norvill.

“It was good. Playing Twenty20 allows you to play a few shots. I took on the bowling and it paid off,” Middlebrook said.

“As an opener, the first six overs are the most important. You have to take advantage of the field being up.

“I took a few risks and they came off. After that I was able to settle and try to bat the 20 overs.”

Along with Old Boys, Bective-East and West Tamworth also notched up dual wins at the gala day.

Bective-East was dominant with comfortable wins over South Tamworth – by 62 runs – and City United – by 24 runs.

Things weren’t so easy for Wests who had to grind out both of their wins on Sunday.

Wests scored the winning runs against North Tamworth with just one ball to spare before their match against City United went right down to the wire.

City United needed 12 runs off the last over to win.

Jis Sebastian took the rock and delivered for his side.

“It went right down to the last over,” Wests captain Dave Mudaliar said.

“It was a tight over from Jis Sebastian at the end of the innings. He only went for three runs in the last over.”

There is two rounds of the Twenty20 competition still to be played. One-off matches will be played on Fridays over the next three weeks before another gala day on Sunday, December 10 followed by the final on December 15.

ROUND TWO

Bective-East d South Tamworth by 62 runs

West Tamworth d North Tamworth by four wickets

Old Boys d City United by one wicket

ROUND THREE

Bective East d North Tamworth by 24 runs

Old Boys d South Tamworth by 89 runs

West Tamworth d City United by nine runs