Kyle Gallen made a stunning return to the Gunnedah cricket creases on Saturday.
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The former Central North junior rep has been plying his trade on the coast for the last few seasons and made an immediate impact for Court House as they steamrolled their way to first innings points against Kookaburras.
After routing Kookaburras for just 27 in their first innings, Court House answered with 3-159 before - sniffing a chance of an outright win - declaring and sending Kookaburras back in.
Gallen was a central figure in Court House’s commanding reply plundering an unbeaten 72.
“He’s a very handy addition, especially to our batting,” Court House captain Farran Lamb said.
Coming in with his side in trouble at 2-1, Gallen quickly found his groove, smacking a six to get off the mark.
Joining Gallen out in the middle an over later, Lamb did likewise, the two steering them past Kookaburras total in the ninth over and taking them to 3-69 at tea.
Brad Gander then went on the attack, belting a quick-fire 50 before Lamb called him and Gallen in.
Kookaburras second innings didn’t start much better than their first but they managed to stave off the Court House assault and negotiate the 27 overs they had to face to finish the day 3-35.
Alex Seach is unbeaten on one, and Beau Clarke six after Billy Jupp and Pat Rankmore both made 12.
Jupp (10) was earlier the only Kookaburras batsmen to reach double figures in what captain Shane Riordan labelled a dreadful display from his side.
“There was no application,” Riordan said.
They lost 7-6 at one stage and lasted just 28 overs.
“That was what I was thinking when I won the toss, bowl and get them for a low score,” Lamb said.
He was one of the chief perpetrators of Kookaburras’ calamity snaring three wickets in one over to finish with 3-5. Anthony Daniels also chimed in with three wickets and Ben Irwin two in what was a good team bowling performance.
“Everyone contributed,” Lamb said.
He said they just bowled in the right areas and didn’t drop many catches.
Jupp and fellow opener Tim Kelly showed good resistance early, but when Irwin bowled Kelly (0) the fourth ball of his sixth over Kookaburras’ innings fell apart.
“Once the two openers went we felt like we could get a few quick wickets,” Lamb said.
Stung twice already, his declaration was in large part driven by the weather. He was hoping to remove any chance of another second day wash-out.
“We just wanted to get it over and done with,” he said.
That didn’t quite pan out but he is hoping they can “knock the seven wickets over early on”.