“Nothing I’ve done in my career can come close to what I’ve done today.”
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For a player of Jordan Moran’s calibre to say something like that, you know it’s been a special effort.
So long one of the standout batsman in the Western Zone, Dubbo’s Moran confirmed himself as one of the best batsman playing in country Australia on Monday when scoring 146 for his state at the Australian Country Cricket Championships.
The knock stands as the highest score of the Championships up to this point and combined with a bonus point win that puts his side within touching distance of the national title, it was a near perfect day for Moran.
“It’s absolutely a dream come true to score 100 at this level,” he said after Monday’s 150-run win over South Australia at Wollongong’s King George V Oval.
“I’ve scored three 50s before and probably threw 100 away on day one so to bat out the whole innings, I think I got out with three balls to go, and get a good 100 is unreal.”
NSW Country’s win was set up by a brilliant opening partnership of 195 runs from Moran and Kieran Gray (90).
It was far from easy early on with South Australia, as per the rules, being able to include two City-based players.
But Moran and Gray toughed it out and eventually the runs began to flow.
“They bowled really well and we were only about 45 at the first drinks break but then after a while the left and-right hand combination began to stuff them around a bit and balls started coming into our zones and we put them away and did a lot of running.”
Gray fell short of his ton but Moran reached it shortly after his departure.
And from there he took off.
The second half of his innings couldn’t have been more different to the first half as the powerful left-hander tore the attack apart and helped his side go past 300.
“I think I went from 100 to 146 in 19 balls,” he said.
“The scorebook said I hit eight sixes and I think six of those came at the end, targeting the short boundary off the spinner.
“You can always catch up, it’s about building an innings and that’s something I’ve finally learnt.”
Moran was dismissed in style with just three balls to go, hitting three consecutive sixes before being caught while going for a fourth straight maximum.
He finished with 146 from 157 balls.
Moran has achieved a lot in his career, with this season marking the second time he has been a part of the NSW Country squad.
He has played countless crucial knocks for Dubbo and Western Zone, his century against Newcastle in the Country Championship final while playing for the latter in 2015 being one of those, but he confessed Monday’s ton topped them all.
“The 100 I got against Newcastle was always up there but nothing I’ve done in my career can come close to what I’ve done today,” he said.
NSW Country finished at 4/311 and then their quality with the ball again shone through, with Canberra-based quick Cameron Suidgeest and Newcastle spinner Patrick Darwen each taking four wickets as South Australian was dismissed for just 161 in reply.
The bonus point win puts NSW clear of Queensland at the top and a win over their rivals on Tuesday will mean the Bush Blues finish the one-day competition as national champions.
“If we lose we’ll be chasing bonus points against East Asia Pacific but if we win, then we win it with a day to spare,” Moran said.
Tuesday’s game begins at 10am.