Skipper full of confidence as Tatts returns to winning ways

The Tatts Cricket Club first XI is back in the winner’s circle and skipper Ryan O’Neill is confident the side can stay there.

On Saturday, Tatts defeated the Western Razorbacks by 48 runs in round nine of the 2020-21 Narrabri District Cricket Association first grade one day season at Collins Park.

O’Neill elected to bat after winning the toss, and his side scored 129 runs in 42.4 over before knocking over the Razorbacks for 81 in 34.2 overs.

Tatts entered the final top grade one day game of the calendar year searching for its first win since round one back on October 17.

O’Neill told The Courier that he was pleased with the way his team broke its six-game losing streak, which saw it move just one win back from the third-placed Razorbacks.

“I’m really pleased, we came together for the first time which was good,” O’Neill said.

“We had a few boys back, DK (Daniel Kahl, pictured right) came back and got us off to a good start, it was a good return from him.

“We were a bit shaky there but Eben Botha came in towards the end and settled things and we got to a defendable score.

“Then we bowled really well, we bowled to our field which we have been trying to do all year but it was good to see it come off.

“We got a couple of early wickets too which helped.”

O’Neill described Saturday’s win as one of the side’s most important victories in recent years.

“We needed to show some of the younger boys that even after a few losses if you think like winners it’ll happen,” he said.

“I thought 130 wasn’t enough, but if you go out in the field and play like winners then you’ll win more often than not and that’s what we did.

“It was probably our most important game for a long time because we haven’t been put under this sort of pressure much for years. But pressure is what produces wins.

“When the comp starts back again next year we need to get the whole team back together and I think we’ll be right, we can string some more wins together.”

On Saturday, Tatts lost openers Jake Packer (6) and Craig Gleeson (9) early and the defending champions went into the 15-over drinks break at 2-40.

Daniel Kahl entered at four for Tatts and anchored his side’s innings. He lost four partners in the middle session, with Jakeb Nipperess (8), Brendon Ward (3), Charlie Simkin (0) and Jesse Nancarrow (3) all falling cheaply as Tatts went into the second drinks break at 6-80.

The third session was 16 balls old when Razorbacks spinner Ty Baker bowled Kahl, who departed for a game-best 43, making the score 7-91.

Tatts’ final four batsmen Botha (24*), Michael Cain (11), O’Neill (5) and Brock Schwager (2) all chipped in to guide the side well past 100 and set a defendable 130-run total for the Razorbacks to chase.

The Wee Waa-based side’s best with the ball was Ty Baker (5-23 from nine overs) who claimed an impressive five-wicket haul.

Brenton Cochrane (2-19 from eight overs) and Josh Trindall (2-21 from eight overs) bagged two wickets each and Nathan Hamblin (1-19 from four overs) took the other.

The side’s wicketkeeper Hadley Sevil had a busy day behind the stumps with four dismissals, the first two of which were catches before he whipped off the bails for two stumpings.

Tatts skipper O’Neill opened the bowling for his side and made an early breakthrough when he dismissed Baker (3) who was caught by Packer in the third over which made the score 1-10.

That became 2-14 in the seventh over when O’Neill claimed the big wicket of Razorbacks skipper Justin Knight (3) who was caught by Ward.

The wickets kept on rolling in for Tatts, with all five bowlers used claiming at least one scalp.

Cain made a stylish return with 3-10 from eight overs in his first game of the season. O’Neill (2-12 from nine overs), Schwager (2-15 from nine overs) and Simkin (2-37 from six overs) all took two each, and the final wicket of the match fell in the 35th over when Packer (1-3 from 2.2 overs) bowled Cochrane (3).

Razorbacks big hitter Chris Smith top scored for his side with 32 runs from number six. His innings included two sixes and two fours but ended in the 26th over when he became Cain’s first victim of the season.

Tatts has now won two games to go with its six losses and a washout draw this season. The defending champions have secured 24 competition points, six less than the third-placed Razorbacks which are on 30 points following three wins, five losses and a washout draw.

Civeo finished round nine in first place on 48 points after beating RSL in a top-of-the-table clash at Hogan Oval on Saturday.

RSL finished the ninth round in second place on 42 points, two wins ahead of the Razorbacks.

The next round of the NDCA one day first grade competition will be contested on Saturday, January 16, 2021. The Razorbacks will take on RSL at Leitch Oval, while Tatts and Civeo go head-to-head at Hogan Oval.