MA Connolly Cup: Gunnedah Second XI thrash Gwydir

The Kookaburras quick led the charge as the defending champions steamrolled Gwydir for just 68. 

They then chased the runs in 13.1 overs for the loss of one wicket.

“It’s a great way to start,” Small said.

The home side struck early Zac Clarke and Adam McGuirk combining to run out Dougal Cameron second ball of the game.

“We were just switched on from the word go and took that early chance,” Small said.

From there the wickets tumbled with seeming regularity. 

McGowan was the chief catalyst for that. He claimed the next six wickets to have Gwydir reeling at 7-35 after 12 overs, as he finished with 6-26 from his 10.

With the exception of former Tamworth skipper Tom Groth, who showed his class and was the rock of the innings with 27, the Gwydir batsmen seemed to have no answer to McGowan.

“He just bowled in the right lines and areas and people just played around him,” Small said.

That was reflected in the mode of his dismissals with three of his wickets bowled.

Small had himself fallen victim to McGowan in Saturday’s local club action in similar fashion.

“He clean bowled me,” he said, the ball taking the top of off.

It’s not the first time in recent meetings McGowan has had his measure.

“I was talking to him after the game. The last six games I’ve played him he’s got me out probably 10 times,” Small said.

Hayden Baker (1-16) and Clarke (1-13) shared the other wickets – the Gwydir innings ending in the manor it started – with a run-out.

The small totals can be trickiest to chase, but Gunnedah were untroubled. 

“I just told the boys to keep their heads and do what they do best,” Small said.

Kaleb McIlveen (10) and Stan Gaynor (20no) put on 31 for the first wicket, McGuirk (25no off 19) then joining Gaynor to polish off the remaining runs before lunch.