Two young guns produce standout performances in second grade wins

The future of Narrabri cricket is currently looking quite bright with an abundance of talent developing and coming through the local junior ranks.

The Narrabri District Junior Cricket Association’s Saturday competition is thriving, the NDJCA representative teams have started well and several junior players are testing themselves at senior level and are performing well.

Two local juniors, 15-year-old Will Ford (RSL Cricket Club) and 12-year-old Sanchit Jagadeesan (Tatts Cricket Club), have cemented their spots in their respective club’s second grade teams and on Saturday the duo produced man-of-the-match performances in their sides’ dominant victories.

Will’s RSL second XI took on Western Razorbacks in round three of the Narrabri District Cricket Association second grade one day season at Cooma Oval and scored a 109-run win.

RSL batted first and scored 195 runs before losing its final wicket in the 39th over. Will top scored for his side with 52 runs. He smashed four sixes and as many fours in that innings.

RSL then knocked over the Western Razorbacks for 86 runs in 20.5 overs and Will was his side’s best with the ball. He claimed four wickets at the expense of just four runs to finish with 4-4 from 2.5 overs.

He combined with Justin Saunders (3-30 from eight overs) and Scott (Duncan 2-21 from two overs) to tear apart the Razorbacks’ batting lineup and guide defending champions RSL to its first win of the season following a round one loss against Tatts and a round two washout draw.

In the other NDCA second grade one day competition round three match on Saturday, Tatts’ win was even more dominant.

Tatts took on Tourist Hotel at Leitch Oval and scored an eight-wicket win after winning the toss and sending the Civeo Cricket Club side into bat.

Sanchit took the ball for the first over and delivered immediately, bowling Tourist Hotel co-captain Jake Thurston for a golden duck with the first ball of the innings. Sanchit claimed three more wickets to secure a game-best 4-5 from four overs.

Tatts’ other opening bowler and another of the team’s promising youngsters, Jonty Fowler (2-18 from four overs), and the team’s co-captain Bill Wood (3-7 from 2.5 overs) combined with Sanchit to rip through Tourist Hotel to restrict the batting side to just 35 runs.

The win was Tatts’ second on the trot following a round one win against RSL and a round two washout draw.

This weekend RSL and Tatts will both be in action in round four matches. RSL will take on Tourist Hotel at Leitch Oval, while Tatts challenges Civeo at Cooma Oval. The Western Razorbacks have the round four bye.