Marty Jeffrey is enjoying his cricket again.
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He has returned to Dubbo for the 2018/19 Whitney Cup season after a summer in Sydney, and says playing with his mates at RSL Colts has helped him rediscover that love of the game.
It shows.
The young leg-spinner stunned his South Dubbo opponents on a flat deck in Saturday’s innings, taking 5/56 including the crucial wicket of Hornets’ skipper Mitch Bower for just 24.
The all-rounder then went to work with the bat, scoring 43 in more than an hour at the crease to help guide the Colts to their second win of the season.
“I’m really enjoying the game a lot more … getting myself some confidence and some form,” Jeffrey said.
“I think when you’re happy and playing around your mates, that’s when you’re going to be playing your best cricket.
“I knew spin was going to play a big part in the game, just the way the pitch was, so when I got chucked the ball I knew I was going to have to play my role … I know my role in the team is going to be to try and take wickets and at the top of the order to try and bat through the innings and you’re going to have days when it comes off like that.”
Souths started the day on 0/24 and Angus Norton and Josh Williams continued where they had left off on a rain-affected first day.
They extended the score to 0/71 before Jeffrey found the breakthrough, bowling Williams for 35.
Corey McDean (6) was out before he could really get settled and then Bower came in to the crease to try and steady the ship.
But Jeffrey bested him, too, this time knocking his pads in front for LBW.
“He was the key wicket for us,” Jeffrey said. “If he batted through the innings he could have scored 100 himself.”
Eventually Norton was caught out by Jeffrey (bowled Tom Atlee) on 52 and, despite some admirable attempts by the Hornets’ middle and tail to settle in, they ran out of overs at 9/172.
Tim Howarth (18) and Jeffrey (43) opened the batting and while Howarth was seen off relatively early, Jeffrey and Greg Buckley (33) sent a message of their own with a 54-run partnership.
Things looked precarious when Jeffrey fell at 4/103 but Brad Cox (47) “showed how classy he really is”, taking control of the innings alongside young Tom Atlee who contributed 14 to their 61-run partnership.
Jeffrey was full of praise for his young teammates – and opponents.
“With the ball, young Reece Beachamp (1/27) bowled well through the middle and it wasn’t a friendly wicket for the quicks … he just bowled his areas,” Jeffrey said.
“Young Anthony Atlee (14) made his debut for us. He batted at number four and he got a few but I think it was pretty exciting for him coming into the top grade.
“Joe Cant (2/21), young off-spinner, he looks really promising so for him to come in on what was a pretty flat deck was pretty good from a young guy like that.”
Jeffrey reiterated the importance of bringing young players through the ranks of first grade cricket.
“It’s a great learning stage for them, much like I got brought through, you learn so much around the older guys,” he said.
“We’ve spotted him [Anthony] as someone who can be a very good first grader in Dubbo – and certainly rep honours down the track – and a leader for the other younger guys coming through.”
