The momentum swung throughout the game with Narrabri enjoying a fruitful start through Nick Smart (48) and Chris Sargent (44).

Gunnedah pulled the home side back to have them on the ropes at 8-113 but frustratingly couldn’t finish them off with Jake Brayshaw (19) and Jordyn Mowle (31) producing a crucial 44 run eighth wicket stand as they posted 170.

“I was happy with our guys to pull it back,” Gunnedah skipper Andy Mack said.

He was a big part of that.

After Brad Gander (2-29) had provided the important and initial breakthrough, removing Smart, Mack picked up three quick wickets to have the home side 4-86.

Gander picked up Sargent not long after before Hayen Baker (2-22) and Sam Doubleday (1-12) joined the party.

Mack said they were probably guilty of committing the cardinal sin at eight down of thinking it was going to just happen. In saying that Brayshaw and Mowle batted well.

He was rolling the arm over for the first time this season and claimed 3-27.

“The ball was doing a little bit through the air,” he explained.

He thought he might be able to utilise that.

They were then were then travelling well at 1-58 at first drinks after Mack (23) and Nick Willoughby (34) shared a 44 run opening stand.

But Sargent (2-10) and Brayshaw (4-26) really tightened things up.

Willoughby and Cameron Milne (29) held out for a while but when Sargent and Smart combined to remove Willougby it spelled the beginning of the end for Gunnedah. Thirteen overs later they were all out for 128.

“We had a good start but we didn’t consolidate,” Mack said.

He admitted he threw his wicket away but paid credit to the Narrabri bowlers.

“They bowled well, bowled nice and straight and fielded well,” he said.

That was in his opinion one of the differences in the game.

“They fielded well whereas we let them turn those one’s into twos’,” he said.

Missing regular skipper Mitch Swain and pace spearhead Brad Jenkinson, Mack was proud of the guys that played on Sunday.

He was particularly impressed with Willoughby on debut.

“He never to be honest looked like getting out until he played a false shot.”

“He’s pretty easy on the eye once he gets set,” he said.

Baker also acquitted himself well in his first outing for the firsts side.