Tamworth Cricket: Old Boys hammer Bective East by 78 runs to go two-from-two

A key cog in Old Boys' 2016-2017 premiership success, the former NSW Country quick packed away the whites after that, but was keen to have one more crack and has bolstered the premiers attack.

"Before I get too old I wanted to have another run of cricket," Gell said.

"I was missing it."

"I watched a few games last year and the year before and am doing a little bit of coaching with the little ones (he has two kids aged 6 and 8) and I thought rather than just coaching I'd better do something myself as well."

On Saturday he delivered the final blow after Aaron Hazlewood had taunted Bective East with the bat as the premiers claimed their second bonus point win in as many games to start the season.

Allrounder Hazlewood smacked 70 off 59 in a 67-minute assault that included five fours and four sixes to catapult Old Boys beyond 200.

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Trading weapons to the ball he then picked up Bective skipper Jye Paterson caught and bowled first ball.

Chasing 206 for victory, the Bulls never recovered with Thomas Haling (31) and Lachie Barton (28) the only batsmen to make 20-plus.

Gell bowled Nick Hird and Matt Zell in successive deliveries to secure the victory, and finish on a hat-trick.

He took the last four wickets as the Bulls lost 4-10 to be all out for 127.

"I was a bit worried there that I was going to play two games without a wicket," he joked.

"But I managed to burgle a couple at the end."

He felt like they didn't come out "too badly".

"I'm sort of beyond trying to bowl too fast any more. I just try and hit a good line and length and wear the batsmen down I suppose," he said.

He thought as a unit they bowled a lot better than they did against Wests the previous week.

"We bowled better areas this week," he said.

"It was a good wicket, the wicket played very well but you still had to bowl good areas and I think we did that today."

Abel Carney (33) and Simon Norvill (43) earlier provided Hazelwood with a good foundation to launch from with a 69 run opening stand.

Adam Jones was the best with the ball for the Bulls with 4-35, Kurt Barton, Hird and skipper Jye Paterson all chipping in with two.