Above: 2017-18 Narrabri District Cricket Association first T20 grade grand final winners Tatts – back, Craig Gleeson, captain Tom Craig, Brock Schwager, Ryan O’Neill, Rod Kirk, Jakeb Nipperess, front, Jonty Schwager, Mitch Lawty, Daniel Kahl, Michael Cain and Brendon Ward. Absent from the photo is Luke Morgan. Tatts will take on the Western Imperial Razorbacks on Saturday night in the 2018-19 decider looking to defend its title.
A new second grade T20 champion will be crowned this weekend, while the first grade title will claimed by either the defending champs or the competition newcomers.
The Narrabri District Cricket Association short format grand finals will both be contested at Collins Park on Saturday.
In the main game which will be played under lights and will start at 7pm the 2017-18, 2016-17 and 2015-16 champions Tatts will take on the NDCA’s newest side the Western Imperial Razorbacks.
Earlier in the day Tatts will go head-to-head with RSL in the second grade decider. That match will start at 3pm.
The first grade fixture is an intriguing one as the T20 minor premiers Tatts take on the 45-over league leaders Western Imperial Razorbacks.
The Razorbacks have made an immediate impact in their first season in the NDCA competition and are determined to win their first trophy on Saturday.
The two first grade grand final teams met in the third round of the regular season on Saturday, January 19.
Tatts won that match by four wickets, but it was no real indication of what to expect come Saturday.
Several players from Tatts were missing in that match, while it was the Razorbacks’ second game on an extremely hot day which caused the players to tire quickly.
Tatts was the most dominant team in the T20 regular season which saw it finish in the outright first position with three wins and one loss.
The Razorbacks placed second with two wins and two losses, edging out RSL and Civeo on nett run rate.
However, the Razorbacks were a force across the two matches.
They lost the least amount of wickets (21), took the most wickets (30) and conceded the least amount of runs (350).
The Razorbacks are also the only side to have bowled a team out in the entire regular season out of all 10 matches and 20 innings played.
In second grade Tatts and RSL will go head-to-head to determine which team truly is the best T20 side of the season after the pair both won three matches and lost once during the regular season.
Tatts finished first on nett run rate which saw RSL place second.
RSL will be hopeful of a repeat effort of the performance it produced against Tatts in round two of the T20 regular season.
In that game RSL batted first and scored 102 runs before limiting Tatts to just 9-70 to win by 32 runs.
Tatts will be motivated by that loss and last season’s T20 grand final loss and will be a determined team in this weekend’s decider.
FIRST GRADE TEAMS:
Tatts – Tom Craig (c), Michael Cain, Mark Crutcher, Craig Gleeson, Daniel Kahl, Mitch Lawty, Luke Morgan, Jacob Nichols, Ryan O’Neill, Brock Schwager, Jonty Schwager.
Western Imperial Razorbacks – Justin Knight (c), Tim Cameron, Brandon Couley, Ben Edwards, Jay Hall, Daniel Hamilton, Steve Phelps, Hadley Sevil, Brendon Smith, Dylan Smith, Josh Trindall, Zack Trindall.
SECOND GRADE TEAMS:
Tatts – Bill Wood (c), Guy Gleeson, Denis Harvey, Sid Harvey, Michael Hewett, Mick Morgan, Jakeb Nipperess, Nathan Nott, Josh Rose, Anthony Schwager, Paul Webster.
RSL – Jason Trindall (c), Cooper Brayshaw, Neil Brayshaw, Scott Duncan, Mathew Dunn, Matt Gilmour, Will Ford, Blake Jarrett, Craig O’Connor, Beau Tomlinson, Rod Tomlinson, Pat Wheeler.
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