Playing at Stan Crowe Oval in Gundagai, the home side batted first and scored 136 in 44.4 overs.

Coota peeled off the required runs in the 23rd over finishing with 4/140.

Despite reaching the total relatively easily, captain Dean Bradley said it was a good, tough game that pushed the visitors.

“It was a funny game of cricket, we had the momentum but they clawed it back and made us really work for it. Full credit to Gundagai, they really put it to us,” he said.

Gundagai’s Dan Attwood scored nearly half of his team’s runs, finishing with 61 from a breezy knock that included nine fours and two sixes.

Their only other player to make double figures was Matt Tozer with 12. 

Bowling honours were evenly shared for Cootamundra.

Bradley captured the wickets of both openers in his first 13 deliveries to finish with 2/31 from 10 overs, and spinner Ryan Connell finished the hosts off with 3/26 from 7.4 overs.

It was the middle order that drew praise from the skipper though as Joel Pearson, Josh Purtell and Luke Berkrey bowled in tactical partnerships.

“Our fielding was good and we bowled to plans for the batsmen, it was well executed,” Bradley said.

Set the moderate tally of 137 to win, John Stephens and Zac Craw got their side away to quick start with 34 runs in the first five overs.

There seems to be a theme emerging for the young left-hander; Craw has scored 21 in each of his three representative innings.

With the score at 4/60 Gundagai had a sniff, but Mick Butler and Luke Berkrey added 80 runs for the fourth wicket in the space of 10 overs.

Butler finished with 37 not out and Berkrey was unbeaten on 33.

“Mick and Luke really took on the bowlers and showed their class,” Bradley said.

In the other round one match Wagga 9/221 defeated Yass 175.

Cootamundra will go again this weekend as they host Goulburn for round two of the Country Plate.

Bradley believes the long spell in the field against Gundagai will prove good preparation.

“Goulburn are an unknown opponent so it’s a whole new challenge, which is always good. I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

“We expect them to be good but of course we hope to win at home.”

The match at Albert Park commences at 10am.