Mudgee looked good early and were able to capitalise on Dubbo’s inconsistent bowling which saw Mudgee opening batsmen Steve Knight (79) and Jarrod Clulow (37) post a 90-run stand. However the likes of Jarrod Simpson (1-21 off 10), Tom Quilter (0-35 off 10) and former Mudgee player James O’Brien (1-30 off seven) were able to stem the flow of runs during the middle part of the innings but Mudgee still reached 229 with Mitchell Hearn (38no) batting at the end.

“We didn’t bowl too well,” Dubbo Coach Max Shepherd said.

“It was very wayward until Jarrod Simpson came in. His performance was very good and so too was Tom Quilter’s bowling.

“Unfortunately we conceded 31 sundries including 14 wides and that is an area that needs to be tidied up.”

Dubbo needed just 31 of their allotted 50 overs to chase down Mudgee’s total of 5 for 229 with opener Jordan Moran scoring a courageous 143 not out.

Moran played with a broken thumb that he had sustained at rep training last Sunday, but apart from being dropped at cover on 25 in the eighth over appeared untroubled at the crease. There were 11 sixes in his innings, including one just out of long off’s reach off the first ball he faced, and 13 fours.

Jordan Peacock was a late call up into the side for captain John Colwell, who strained a groin muscle during his innings of 102 in Saturday’s club cricket match for South Dubbo.

The NSW Country Under-19 representative opened with Moran and looked solid until he was dismissed for 17.

Nathan Munro (28) and Jason Green (26) then continued to cut down the total with Moran doing the bulk of the scoring at the other end.

“Jordan’s innings was outstanding,” Shepherd said.

“It’s the good start we wanted. But because we finished so low last year, every game from now on will be away from home.

“This means the batsmen will have to get their minds set to play on wickets that might do a bit.”

While Brad Cox captained for Dubbo yesterday, Shepherd was confident he would have Colwell back in time for the next round to be played away to the winner of Parkes and Bathurst, who also played yesterday.

“It’s a good position to be in to have guys vying for spots rather than trying to find someone to fill in a hole,” Shepherd said.