Cricket: Archie McMaster scores double century for Tamworth Gold against Narrabri

Archie McMaster became the latest to achieve the milestone with a dazzling 247 for the Tamworth Gold under-14s in their John Kilborn Shield clash with Narrabri in Tamworth on Sunday.

In the process he eclipsed Harrison Hamilton's 225 scored at the Western NSW Junior Cricket carnival in Orange in early January as the highest-ever score by a Tamworth junior.

READ ALSO: Colts prove too strong for Moree to win through to first Connolly Cup final

It was a batting performance of the highest order and included a record 365-run partnership for the second wicket with Sam Davis, who himself went on to score 124 as their Gold side amassed 5-470.

Some of the best batting he's ever witnessed from junior cricketers, Gold coach Adam Jones said it was "pretty special" to watch.

"It was incredible batting from Archie and Sam," he said.

"They weren't slogging, just playing extremely good cricket shots."

Batting almost the entire innings, and in what were hot conditions, McMaster was understandably feeling "pretty tired" when he spoke to The Leader on Sunday afternoon.

His first century in a season that has so far yielded almost 1000 runs (not including school cricket), he said it was the best he has felt out in the middle this season.

He credited that to a recent tweak, at the suggestion of Jones, to his batting.

"He told me he thought I was falling over a little bit when I came across (the wicket)," he said.

"So he thought to just try and stay a bit stiller at the crease."

It seems to have had the desired effect. Ever since he made the change, he has felt a lot better and been able to watch the ball better.

READ ALSO: Taylor's appetite for destruction lays waste to Souths

McMaster said it was probably around first drinks when he started feeling like he could be on for a big score. He was "felling pretty good" and he and Davis were in a good rhythm.

"It was good having him at the other end because we ran in between the wickets pretty well," he said.

It was, he reckoned, probably worth an extra 20 runs to him.

He brought up his first century around the 20 over mark.

"I thought I was pretty close just from guessing what score I was on," McMaster said.

"When I got there I was pretty happy."

Still having plenty of overs left, he said he thought then that "the 200 could be on."

But it was pretty tough going getting there. The tiredness started to kick in not long past triple figures.

"Then when I got to about 150 it was just really hard from then on," he said.

He was still hitting the ball pretty well but "it was hard to push when I was running."

But he battled through to, with a flick around the corner, notch his maiden double century.

"I was pretty happy when I reached it," he said.

"I thought I was pretty close because when we had the second drinks break I was told I was on 175. So I was pretty much just counting from then on to the 200."

He said it was special to have Davis out there to share the moment with.

READ ALSO: 'We need to learn from that': Brendan Rixon laments lost opportunity

"I think every single milestone we were out there with each other, which is pretty cool," he said.

He was eventually out, caught on the boundary, with a handful of overs remaining after a 151-ball knock that included 31 fours and three sixes. Davis meanwhile struck 14 fours in his innings, and Jones said "batted just as well" as McMaster.

But it wasn't, he added, just about them. It was a whole team effort.

"Archie and Sam were exceptional but we still went out and bowled them out for 56," he said.

"We talk about doing everything as a team. The week before we beat the other Tamworth team and we did that as a team."

All four bowlers took a wicket, Alexander Ingall and Parker O'Neile leading the way with three apiece.

The win has them on the cusp of a finals berth. They sit second with one game remaining against Armidale this coming weekend.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: