Craig cruising as Tatts go top

Tatts Cricket Club’s first grade side scored a big win in round four of the 2019-20 Narrabri District Cricket Association first grade season at Hogan Oval on Saturday.

The Razorbacks batted first and made 124 runs before losing their final wicket in the 39th over.

In reply Tatts only lost four wickets before reaching the required total in 24.2 overs.

The victory was memorable in more ways than one for the defending champions.

Firstly, skipper Tom Craig continued his red-hot run of form by top scoring for his team for a fourth consecutive week.

Craig, who is both his team’s and the competition’s leading run scorer, added 48 runs during his side’s successful chase to take his season total to 164 at an average of 41.

Secondly, Tatts quick Michael Cain bowled for the first time this season and returned with a bang.

Cain, who was the 2018-19 NDCA first grade leading wicket taker with 24 scalps in seven matches, did not bowl in the first two games of the season due to a shoulder injury before missing Tatts’ third round game.

He got through nine overs on Saturday, boasting his side’s best bowling figures of 4-30 which included a wicket-maiden.

Another talking point for Tatts was the successful first grade debut of Sid Harvey.

Playing in his first game of first grade, the 14-year-old impressed with the ball by taking two wickets to finish with 2-18 from 4.5 overs.

Tatt’s six-wicket win meant that it finished the fourth round of the season as the competition’s outright leaders. The defending champs entered the match on 15 points, equal with the Razorbacks as well as Civeo which lost its round four clash against RSL (see page 13).

Those results meant that Tatts moved to 22 points, leaving Razorbacks and Civeo (both 16 points) behind.

RSL remained in last place after its first win of the season.

Razorbacks skipper Justin Knight won this toss and elected to bat on Saturday at Hogan Oval, and it was Tatts which got off to the better start.

Brothers Jonty and Brock Schwager opened the bowling and both produced maidens from their respective first overs.

A Jonty Schwager wide got the Razorbacks on the board in the third over of the game but the score became 1-1 in the fourth when Brock Schwager trapped

Razorbacks opener Hadley Sevil in front for a duck.

Knight entered at number three to partner Ty Baker and the skipper scored two runs from the final delivery of the fourth over which combined with a bye made the score 1-4.

Baker and Knight combined for a 28-run partnership which was not broken until the 13th over when Jonty Schwager dismissed Baker (12) who was caught by Luke Morgan.

The next partnership was an even bigger one as Knight and number four batsman Daniel Hamilton put on 30 runs together to make the score 2-60 after 23 overs.

That is when Cain made his mark on the game, taking two wickets in the 24th over which started a Razorbacks collapse where the Wee Waa-based side lost 5-11.

In what was Cain’s sixth over of the game the quick dismissed Hamilton (14) who was caught behind by Chase Magner, then took the big wicket of Knight who was caught by Daniel Kahl for a team-best 24 runs.

Those two wickets made the score 2-63 after 24 overs which became 5-65 after 26 when Cain bowled Josh Trindall (1).

In the Craig Gleeson-bowled 29th over Toby Reynolds (4) was caught behind by Magner before Cain took his fourth and final wicket in his ninth over trapping Brandon Couley in front for a duck to make the score 7-72.

Those wickets left Steve Phelps and Zack Doring at the crease who both struck boundaries to get on the board, determined to help their side reach a defendable total.

However, Doring (6) could only add two more runs to his tally before he was caught by Jakeb Nipperess in the Gleeson-bowled 31st over which made the score 8-82.

Phelps was joined in the middle by Angus Galagher who also got off the mark with a four and the pair fired late, putting on a 38-run partnership to take the Razorbacks to 120 in the 38th over.

Harvey then stood up, dismissing Galagher (23) in the 38th over and Phelps (24) in the 40th who were both caught out as the Razorbacks finished on 124 runs.
The Razorbacks needed early wickets to kick start their defence and Toby Nancarrow delivered.

Tim Cameron took the ball for the first over and only conceded two runs, then Nancarrow bowled the second over.

From his third delivery Nancarrow struck, bowling Morgan for a duck.

Two overs later Nancarrow delivered again, dismissing Kahl (3) to make the score 2-15.

That left experienced duo Gleeson and Craig at the crease and the pair got Tatts back on track with a 74-run partnership which made the score 2-89 after 18 overs.

Trindall made a breakthrough in the 19th over, bowling Gleeson (31) to break that partnership and make the score 3-89.

However, Craig and Magner then combined for a 34-run partnership to take Tatts to 123 runs and just two away from victory after 24 overs.

Doring was handed the ball to bowl the 25th over and delivered immediately, bowling Craig (48).

However it was too little too late for the Razorbacks as Nipperess entered the middle and scored the winning two runs from his first delivery as Tatts secured its third win of the campaign.

At the other end Magner finished unbeaten on 19.

Nancarrow (2-32 from five overs) was Razorbacks’ best with the ball.

Tatts will go in search of its fourth win of the season this Saturday when it takes on Civeo at Collins Park, while the Razorbacks will return to Hogan Oval where they challenge RSL.