Gilmour Helps Waratah Find Winning Feeling

Newcastle Herald

Thursday October 23, 2008

Neil Goffet THE LEADING EDGE

SAM Gilmour's return to Waratah-Mayfield has had an immediate effect as the club are poised to break their winning drought in Newcastle district cricket this weekend.

Gilmour is a former NSW Country all-rounder who opened the batting and bowling for Waratah when he last played for them in 2004-05, but he was absent when the club did not win a game last season.

An encouraging victory over Toronto Workers in a Tom Locker Cup one-day game early last season was followed by a season they would rather forget.

In 11 premiership matches Waratah recorded two draws, five first-innings losses and four outright defeats to finish a distant last on the ladder.

They looked set to follow down a similar path this season when they were beaten outright by Stockton in the opening round.

That prompted veteran Charlestown skipper Steve Mace to send the Tahs into bat last Saturday, but he had no idea of what was about to unfold.

Waratah slumped to 3-42 before skipper Gilmour and former captain Simon Porter produced a 171-run fourth-wicket stand and a century each.

Porter led the way with 109 and Gilmour scored 102 as Waratah posted 9-302 from their 90 overs.

"Simon batted far better than I did," said Gilmour, who had a season at Belmont before playing the past two for City and Suburban A-grade side Seven Seas.

"He played really well. I guess the reason I came back here was because the club was struggling and my brother Ben was playing here and was always at me to come back."

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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