Season after season North Tamworth’s veteran quick Adam Greentree has steamed in propelled by the most potent driving force of any athlete: a strong desire to win.
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And on Saturday, at Riverside 2, Greentree had his second best ever day – 7-34 from 21 overs, as in-form South Tamworth were rolled for 143 in pursuit of 291.
“I just like winning,” said Greentree, 33, who made his first-grade debut, with Norths, as a 17-year-old in the 2002-03 season.
Last season he vowed to keep playing until Norths won another premiership (their last one came in 2012-13). Fast forward to now and nothing has changed.
What’s more, he believes that this season’s competition is the most open in years.
Greentree, who claimed a career-best 8-47 against Souths in 2011-12, said prior to Saturday he had bowled well “without luck” this season. He had taken seven wickets in five matches, with a best of 3-39 in a loss to Bective last round. It is his 18th five-wicket haul.
“In cricket, sometimes you get the luck, and sometimes you don’t. You just have to keep digging at it,” he said. “I just need to do what the team needs me to do. I just like winning.”
Greentree praised his teammates for the support they gave him in the field on Saturday, singling out wicketkeeper Henry Smith, who he said took two “excellent” stumpings off his bowling. “It makes it a lot easier when you get support from the rest of your teammates,” he added.
Lincoln Peters claimed 3-9 off five overs for Norths, while Souths’ top-scorer was skipper Mitch Smith – the opener’s 67-ball 49 taking his season tally to 290 runs in five innings at an average of 72.50, second behind West Tamworth opener Daniel Collinson’s 307 runs at 102.33.
Norths No.4 Michael Rixon struck a 162-ball 103 on day one of the match. It was Souths’ first loss of the season.
At No.1 Oval, City United won their their fourth straight match, after passing the Bulls’ 99 on day one and then being dismissed for 125 early on day two.
The Bulls finished on 6-160 in their second innings. Former skipper Adam Jones, recently lured out of retirement due to a player shortage, top-scored with 84.
Paceman Tait Jordan and off-spinner Scott Brennan both snared two wickets.
City skipper Brad Smith said: “We toiled on a tough bowling day [on Saturday]. It was good to bat on, and they took full advantage off it. Full credit to them.”
