The pride of Nyngan cricket, the Bogan Brown Snakes, travelled to Dubbo on Sunday to take on a Dubbo side perhaps light on reputation, but not necessarily on runs. 

A win would give Nyngan the chance at a grand final on home soil; a loss leaving them with a long drive home into the sun aided only by fried chicken and big bottles. 

Nyngan lost the loss and were promptly sent into the field.

The pitch appeared fairly innocuous to the untrained eye and it would prove to be so.

Tearaway left arm quick Mitch Williams-Hedges, feared and respected by rival teams, started well and was unlucky to not get a handful of wickets in his first spell. 

Matt Hanlon, former child prodigy now senior member of the team, got one to jag back off a good length early to take the middle stump of one Dubbo opener, leaving him stunned and aghast that someone of such appearance could possess such a lethal effort ball.

Hanlon bowled well and eventually finished with two wickets from his 10 overs. 

The Snakes were able to take wickets fairly regularly but perhaps lacked some vigour in the field and Dubbo built frustrating regular little partnerships.

Dave Rose bowled well into the wind, miserly swinging the ball both ways to have the young Dubbo batsmen in all sorts of bother.

Skipper Toby Miles bowled with typical leg-spin inconsistency, but was rewarded for his unpredictability with three wickets from less than amazing balls.

At 6/100 Dubbo may have feared an early finish but were able to knock the ball around in a considerably annoying fashion, poking and prodding their way to 201.

Dean Woods chipped in with a couple of wickets at the end, but the Snakes went into the break with a confidence that perhaps verged on complacency. 

Miles and power hitter Cameron Bourke opened the innings for the Snakes and after four overs were none for 28, the innings’ first seven scoring shots being boundaries.

It would eventuate that this attacking approach was unsustainable and when both were bowled it was up to old hands Rose and Tim Smith to steady the ship.

Smith looked in the mood; his penchant for hitting the ball hard and long looked unstoppable on a decent deck and outfield, but it was wickets falling at the other end that was the problem for Nyngan.

Rose, Jak Jeffery, Hanlon and Hedges all came and went without tiring the scorers, but when Woods and Smith put together a partnership things looked like they were coming up Brown Snake.

The Colts pair made batting look easy, Woods’ good placement and running the perfect foil for Smith’s brutish power. The side and its support brimmed with confidence as the pair’s partnership went over 50. 

It would take a brilliant piece of fielding to remove the irrepressible Smith, an absolute screamer of a catch at backward point had Smith gone for 60 and the Brown Snakes’ dream of a home final in disarray.

Woods followed shortly after and hope was all but lost when Cooper Barrow fell in somewhat disappointing circumstances.

Some lack of discipline and experience cost the Snakes in the final overs with only Jackson Williams-Hedges showing some resistance. 

Nyngan fell 11 runs short of their target, disappointment compounded by the likelihood of glory when Woods and Smith, particularly, were at the crease.  The side takes on Narromine in a must-win game at Frank Smith Oval on February 21 so all Nynganites are encouraged to get down and support the home side as they seek to win the Brewery Shield for the first time in 12 years.