![It was a special moment for (L-R) Kurt, Lachie, George, Clive and Col Barton at the recent Quirindi Super 8s, all playing together for the first time. Picture Supplied. It was a special moment for (L-R) Kurt, Lachie, George, Clive and Col Barton at the recent Quirindi Super 8s, all playing together for the first time. Picture Supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ingYyB85ps4jmG9t8mfsHP/3fb6807d-22ea-4973-86b6-bef58eb8f192.jpg/r0_36_4032_3029_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Family and sport has long been intertwined for the Barton clan.
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One of Tamworth's most prominent sporting families, one of the sports that has been a thread connecting the generations is cricket.
That was illustrated perfectly at the annual Quirindi Super 8s in late January with Col, sons Clive and George, and Clive's sons Lachie and Kurt all padding up for the victorious Flint Tropics side.
Whilst over the years the Barton name has often popped up more than once on the same team sheet, it was the first time all five had ever played together.
"It was great," Kurt said after taking 2-17 as Bective East rolled Old Boys for 114 in their first innings on Saturday.
"It was a real pleasure to play with all of them."
Back when he was about 15 he had the opportunity to play a third grade game for Bective with his dad and "pop", as he calls Col, which was pretty special.
He has also been fortunate to play with Lachie on a regular basis for the past six or seven seasons.
Col and George also play regularly together, teaming up for Goonoo Goonoo in the Peel Valley Bush Cricket competition.
Clive meanwhile plays with Kurt and Lachie at Bective, albeit in second grade.
![Kurt Barton continued his good form with the ball this season with another two on Saturday to take his tally to 14. Kurt Barton continued his good form with the ball this season with another two on Saturday to take his tally to 14.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ingYyB85ps4jmG9t8mfsHP/d2caca92-d670-4e91-ab7e-2f6e6333d0e9.jpg/r0_0_3453_2899_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Naturally there was plenty of banter and barbs firing over the two days.
"Lachie's the batsmen and I'm the bowler and I think there was one game there where I scored more runs than him so I got the bragging rights in that one," Kurt proudly pointed out.
Lachie though, he begrudgingly conceded, probably took the honours for the weekend, along with George.
"They opened together and they were pretty good, they scored a fair bit of our runs," he said.
Cricket isn't the only facet of the 20-year-old's life that family plays a big part in.
He works on the family's sheep and cropping farm alongside his dad, and pop, who into his mid-70s now is "still going strong".
"He still works on the farm, still does full days, full weeks," Kurt said.
"He'll probably play cricket longer than I will."
He recalled how growing up he was always trying to teach him and Lachie how to bat. He looked after the batting side of things and their dad the bowling, which was more his forte.
Still today he gives them batting tips.
Not one to take themselves too seriously, when asked about his performance on Saturday, Kurt quipped that he feels like he's "getting slower somehow".
"But it seems to be working," he said.
The paceman has been consistently among the wickets in 2023-24 and heading into the latest round sat fifth on the competition's top wicket-taker list with 12.
Having the bye the first round of two-dayers back, he enjoyed getting the "swinging red ball" back in his hands.
The Bulls are in a commanding position with Abel Carney (39) guiding them to 2-68 in reply.
Earlier it was another strong allround bowling performance with only one of the seven bowlers used by captain Jye Paterson not picking up a wicket.
Following on from his near-century the previous round, Adam McGuirk was again the shining light for Old Boys with the bat with 37.