Cricket: Tamworth City United win 2022/23 first grade grand final

But such is the fickleness of sport, form can change on a dime and seemingly for no reason at all.

Much to Bellamy's relief, his dry spell reversed sharply today to become one of the best purple patches of his life.

And it happened to be a crucial factor in Tamworth City United's win over North Tamworth in the 2022/23 Tamworth District Cricket Assocation first grade two-day grand final.

"I didn't really do anything different," Bellamy said.

"It was nice to just get in a bit of a rhythm, and once I was set I just kept rolling through a few overs."

Prior to the grand final, Bellamy had taken 16 wickets at 21.56 from 13 matches this season. On Sunday, the left-arm orthodox bowler weaved his way to 8-41, the best figures of his career.

The spell caused North Tamworth to collapse for 91, and earned him the Man of the Match award.

"It's very special," Bellamy said.

"It's nice to put a solid performance together and get a few wickets."

The left-armer's haul was not the only noteworthy moment of the match. In fact, Bellamy attributed the freedom with which he bowled to the team's first innings, in which they scored 260 after being sent in to bat by Norths.

And the day before Bellamy recorded the best bowling figures of the season, Tom Fitzgerald produced the highest score of the year.

But after being run out for 98, Fitzgerald was equal parts pleased at the team's situation and heartbroken that he threw away the chance to score the first hundred in Tamworth first grade cricket since 2020/21.

"A hundred in a final, absolutely [I wanted it]," Fitzgerald said.

"I haven't got a hundred in Tamworth for a couple of years now, so it would have been nice to have one, especially in a grand final."

In the weeks leading in, Fitzgerald had played a key hand in seeing City through to the grand final.

He made a critical 81 in their final round game of the year, also against Norths, before a gritty innings of 43 helped spur them to a preliminary final win over Bective East.

"The last couple of innings I've batted quite well," Fitzgerald said.

"I concentrated a bit more. It's more real, it's finals time now and we haven't won the competition before, so I wanted to do my part."

The tall batting allrounder was aided by 47 from Callum Henry and 43 from Richie O'Halloran on Saturday, while Harry Lewington was the standout for Norths with figures of 4-53.

Together, that trio saw City United past 250 which, after Bellamy's 20-over spell, was enough to secure a first premiership win since the 1996/97 season.

"It's a pretty special moment," captain Tait Jordan said.

"To do it the way we did in the last three games, I don't like using the word 'perfect' in sport, but it was just about perfect cricket. We executed in every way."

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