After round five of the 40-over competition, Nambucca Heads and Nambucca Hotel (Bonzers) are emerging as early favourites for the premiership.

Nambucca Heads ventured to Taylors Arm for their match against TA. The ’Heads batted first and Dave Parry took a liking to the short boundaries.

The long grass wasn’t conducive to running singles so Dave took the aerial route to the boundary on 12 occasions. TA fieldsmen were camped in the pine trees at one stage hoping not to lose too many cricket balls.

Dave finished with 117 not out and none of the bowlers were spared, apart from Paul Mulvilhill with two for 13. Nambucca Heads finished with 191.

Taylors Arm could only muster 106 in reply. Coming out of retirement for the umpteenth time, Trevor Welsh top-scored with 35. Brad Kimber and Aaron Clarke shared the bowling honours with four for 54 and four for 15 respectively.

The match at Donnelly Welsh saw Macksville Ex-Services soundly beaten by Nambucca Hotel. It is a bit premature to write Ex-Services off at this stage as they were short a few players.

They must have been desperate for players as they drafted young (not) Paul Ward for a game. To be fair, Paul second top-scored with 15 not out.

Macksville were all out for 76 with Jesse O’Grady top scoring with 20 runs. The wickets were shared around with Mat Lindsay 3/15, Jason Ahearn 2/21, Dean Hillery 2/22 and Jimi Allen 2/1.

The Hotel reversed their batting order a bit and lost four wickets in passing that modest total. Dane Luffman top-scored with 35 not out and Mick Stennett was also not out on 24.

Talarm hosted Macksville Country Club at EJ Biffin in what proved to be a more even tussle, Talarm coming out on top by 18 runs. The difference between the two sides was new recruit Justin Saker, who top-scored with 29 runs and took three for 19 in the bowling department. Lucky he had to leave early for work or the damage may have been greater.