With the new competition into second-round matches and creating much excitement for all involved, a day/night match was something the travellers had looked forward to.

After a scintillating win against the strong Central Coast Lightning in a recent Oxley Oval clash, the coasties were feeling they were a huge chance.

Tamworth batted first in a game where each side faced 20 overs in daylight before a 'dinner break' and then the opportunity to play under lights.

After their first stint, the locals had cruised to be 2-91 with their top three batsmen all doing well to set a strong platform.

The Marlins bats didn't find the welcome so pleasant as they collapsed to be 7-61 and in dire straits and with little to sing to.

Only Rohan Kew with 21 troubled the scorers to any extent, whilst Glen O'Brien had tried to shore things up in a dogged 16.

The dinner break couldn't come soon enough for the visitors.

The second twenty saw the locals go further ahead as their formidable batting lineup feasted on the Marlins.

Whilst Mick Connolly bowled superbly against the tide to finish with 2-28 off his seven and Dom Ashe chipped in with 2-14 off four, it was only Glen O'Brien (0-17 off 6), who bowled 'without luck' and tightly to escape the swashbuckling of the home side on a beaut cricket wicket.

They finished with 6-217 and three batsmen retired at the mandatory 30 runs. Their lower order had done so well that the recycling of retirees was not required.

The Marlins couldn't reel in the total with so few wickets in hand but Mick Thomas (30 retired) put up a wall and batted stodgily to defy the opposition with his well-tried drinking mate in O'Brien. Skipper Hall chipped in late with 11 but the coasties were knocked over for 121.

Tamworth have certainly hit back well this season after the result was a mirrored opposite in last seasons initial encounter of 50s cricket and they had already sent a portent with a similarly strong win in the two day Gloucester Tournament back in September.

Both sides will now prepare for their next matches as the competition goes deeper. The Marlins are setting themselves for a visit to Woy Woy to play the other Central Coast side before more matches in January and beyond. Tamworth will be eager to get a coastal trifecta when they come to play the MNC South Mudskippers at Tuncurry on December 8th, with that local side also preparing in a match against Newcastle Taverners at Gloucester on November 24th.

State sides have already been selected for next week's nationals in Perth where Port Macquarie's Greg Hall and Darrell Nash will join a host of other country and city players in a seven team contingent of state reps.

From that event, the Australian 50s Squad to go to next year's World Cup in South Africa will be selected.