Carpet Court dominated with the bat (3/273) before reducing Lawson Park to 4/10 within 5 overs, and would, at that stage, have expected to win sooner than the 35th over, when they eventually dismissed their opponents, who had been reduced to 8 players, for 104, to achieve a massive 169 run victory.

That they didn’t, was almost entirely due to Dowell.

He batted with great maturity, and effectively farmed the strike.

He shared significant partnerships for the fifth (39 with Al Barratt, who made 9) and sixth wickets (55 with Levi Kowalczyk, who finished with 10 not out), after the initial carnage sewn by Carpet Court’s opening bowlers, Cody Lawson (who finished with 4 for 6 off 5 tight overs), and Adam O’Connell (2 for 15 off 4).

That Carpet Court could attack immediately in the field was due to their top order, with openers, Lawson (40) and Brad Golden (88), having an opening partnership of 62, before Golden dominated with a well paced innings.

Mitchell Sandry (32) fed the strike to Golden in their second wicket partnership of 108, before he, James Fisher (33 not out) and, in particular, Gaurev Sharma (52 not out off 31 balls), were able to throw caution to the winds in constructing the sizeable total.

It was regrettable that both teams started 2 short, and Lawson Park were left with only eight players, when, in the fifth over, their wicketkeeper and premier batsman, Nathan Lane, was struck flush on the right cheek in attempting to take a ball from opening bowler, Dowell, sustaining a significant injury, requiring transfer to Dubbo Base Hospital for further investigation and treatment.

Mudgee (and Gulgong) cricket can ill afford to lose a player of his ability, particularly at a time when both towns are struggling for players, and he is wished a speedy recovery.

Carpet Court, meanwhile, increase their lead in the First Grade competition and play Paragon Hotel on Saturday.

While Lawson Park have another bye before playing their second match on November 11 (their first match against the same opponents washed out last week).

Mudgee and District Cricket Association, Round 4, Saturday, November 4.

FIRST GRADE:

RESERVE GRADE: