Confidence is starting to return to the City squad as they prepare for the last month of the Armidale Cricket first grade season.
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City toppled eventual one-day premiers Easts on Saturday after a trio of their top order batsmen put runs on the board.
Opener Ash Clee made 47 while captain Kyle Taylor made 49 and number four Nick Farrar managed a hard-fought 30.
“Ash opened and he continued where he left off on Friday night, just banging runs,” Taylor said.
“He is has just got confidence now.
“[Farrar] came out and did a good job for us in the middle, especially when we had two quick wickets, me and Ash back-to-back.”
City went on to finish 8-190 from their 45 overs and then their opening bowling pair of Farrar and Karl Triebe got to work early.
Triebe dismissed Ian Ranger for two then Farrar sent Cody Graham back to the sheds for two.
Clarrie Moran was run out on two.
Easts posted five more runs before Triebe took the key wicket of Todd Francis.
Andrew Skinner was brought on to bowl and made an immediate impact.
He dismissed Michael Smoother for one and Luke Uphill for four, both leg-before wicket.
Skinner then dismissed Sam Uphill for 10 in the same way.
Triebe then sent Jackson Gwynne before Simon Butler removed Aaron Whackett.
Brandon Burey and Tom Toshack provided some resistance at the bottom of the order for Easts but Farrar ended up claiming Burey for 20 to have Easts all out for 109.
Taylor made mention of Ollie Grimble’s return to the top grade with bat and ball and hopes Saturday’s win is the start of a run to the finals.
“We had a good talk about everyone just going out and doing their role, believing in each other and fighting for each other and it just paid off for us this week,” he said.
“It might have just been our turn, luck of the draw shifted our way hopefully.”
Taylor’s 49 puts him at the top of the leader board for runs scored in first grade this season.
Taylor leading the way with the bat and Karl spearheading their bowling attack goes a long way in ensuring City have confidence to win games.
“If I am confident in my performance, the boys are confident to go out there and do their role,” Taylor said.
“Then Karl comes out with the ball and his first couple of overs, the boys just chirp up in the field. I think we are just a confidence team at the moment.
“Last week against Easts we just went out there and believed we could hit runs at Bellevue, the ball would run.”