Narrandera Carpheads (8/204) have defeated Kamarah (7/200) in their Ardlethan Barellan District Cricket Association game on Saturday.

The Carpheads made the journey to Kamarah for the annual Kamarah Ladies Day and held on to win a close contest.

Narrandera won the toss and elected to bat first.

However, they got off to a poor start when opening batsman James Sullivan was caught LBW for just seven runs.

The Kamarah bowling attack was in control, having the Carpheads at 3/38 after 11 overs.

The Carpheads’ Captain Mark Tilyard said his team started to swing the momentum their way, piling on the runs with a blend of youth and experience at the crease.

“Nick Perram and Tim Durnan combined with a 52-run partnership before Perram lost his wicket shortly after the drinks break,” Tilyard said.

“Then experience shone through as veterans Durnan and lan “Yakka” Donaldson piled on the runs, before Oliver Delves claimed Durnan with the Carps at 5/159.

“Wickets fell in quick succession, with Darcy McDermott claiming the crucial wicket of Donaldson for 52 runs.

“A short wag of the tail saw us finish with a respectable total at the end of our batting innings.”

Donaldson finished as the Carpheads’ highest run scorer with a steady knock of 52 runs.

Durnan, another notable Carpheads’ batsman, chipped in with 40 runs.

Kamarah’s wicket takers were Darcy McDermott (4/39) and Jason Malone (2/35).

In the run chase, Kamarah started strong with Byron Tarlington racking up 16 runs before losing his wicket from a well-directed short-ball by Tilyard.

Youth proved crucial for the Carpheads as their young bowling attack restricted Kamarah to 4/77 by drinks.

Kamarah were in trouble, but they recovered well.

“Similar to us, Kamarah showed that experience was key with the bat as Oliver Delves and Jason Malone dug in deep and began to control the game,” Tilyard said.

“Putting on 42 runs, Kamarah were back in the game, before Archer Quinn claimed the wicket of Malone for 17 runs and just 14 runs later, Ross Durnan claimed the other crucial wicket of Delves for 48 runs.

“Kamarah captain Teaque Studholme wasn’t going to lay down as he and Darcy McDermott edged them closer to the total.”

With Kamarah requiring 24 runs off the final dozen balls, tension built around the ground in a nerve-racking end to the game.

Tilyard led by example by conceding just three runs when he bowled the penultimate over.

With youngster Bryce Hetherington, bowling the final over, the Carpheads secured a hard-fought victory, despite Studholme smashing back-to-back sixes in the last two balls and falling just short of the target at the end of the innings. 

The Carpheads’ wicket takers included R Durnan (2/27) and Archer Quinn (2/37).

Kamarah’s best batsmen were Oliver Delves with 48 runs and Studholme, who finished on 36 not out.

After the game, the attention turned from cricket to a fundraising event for the Griffith Breast Cancer Support Group.

Kamarah holds an annual Ladies’ Day during their last home game of the home and away season.

All proceeds and a raffle conducted throughout the year go directly to the group.

This year a record-breaking $3520 was raised for the local charity.

In the penultimate round of the competition on Saturday, Ardlethan Beckom will play the Carpheads in a top-of-the-table clash, at Ardlethan.