Old Boys have achieved something that used to be routine for them, but is now more elusive.
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As the mercury climbed into the high 30s at a sun-smashed Riverside 1, Tamworth cricket's most successful side over the past decade secured their first win of the season after defending 8-114 against North Tamworth in a Twenty20.
The Redbacks were dismissed for 94 in the last over of the round eight clash.
Old Boys' Gunnedah-based allrounder Kyle Gallen - in the midst of his first season of Tamworth cricket after joining the side from Court House - said it had been "a tough start to the season" for the once dominant outfit.
"And the style of cricket we were playing just wasn't up to par," he said, adding: "The intensity was there today. It showed."
Gallen, who made seven and then took 4-16 off 3.4 overs bowling mostly off-spin, said Old Boys had endured "some real testing days ... where we had to have a good hard look at ourselves and decide where we wanted to go, and who we wanted to be".
![Old Boys' veteran quick Troy Sands toils in the oppressive heat. Picture by Gareth Gardner Old Boys' veteran quick Troy Sands toils in the oppressive heat. Picture by Gareth Gardner](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/b280e25c-5c0e-4afd-8ed9-9be69b696b98.jpg/r0_0_1521_2013_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I think today we showed what we wanna be about. We didn't get a big score, but we fought tooth and nail for every run - and we were desperate today."
Gallen hopes last-placed Old Boy can "really kick on and get a roll on".
For Old Boys, who won the toss, the top-scorers were No. 5 Tim Kensell (25-ball 28 not out) and captain Ben Middlebrook (21-ball 21).
Xavier McCluskey (2-10 off three overs) and Michael Rixon (2-19 off four overs) were Norths' best with the ball.
The intensity was there today. It showed.
- Kyle Gallen
Young opener Harry Lewington top-scored for fourth-placed Norths (38-ball 27), while spinner Middlebrook supported Gallen by taking 3-23 off four overs.
In a Twenty20 day-nigher at No. 1 Oval, competition leaders South Tamworth beat Bective East by six wickets - securing victory on the second-last ball of the innings.
Chasing 8-97, Souths finished on 4-101 in 19.5 overs.
No. 3 Josh Richards - a Tamworth hospital doctor and a former first-class player in South Africa - guided Souths to victory with a 58-ball 70 not out that included five fours.
Bulls quick Kurt Barton took 2-21 off four overs.
After winning the toss and batting, second-placed Bective East made 8-97.
Opener and captain Jye Paterson top-scored with a 26-ball 41 that included three fours and two sixes, while Nathan Mann and George Wilson claimed 4-15 off four overs and 2-11 off four overs, respectively, for Souths.