Club championship, first grade minor and major premiership double, second grade minor and major premiership double and the second grade T20 championship – what a season it has been for Narrabri RSL Cricket Club.
The club secured two comfortable victories on Narrabri District Cricket Association’s 2020-21 grand final day on Saturday to complete what has been a memorable season in style.
In first grade, RSL beat the Western Razorbacks by eight wickets at Collins Park after rolling the Wee Waa-based side for just 55 runs in 37.5 overs.
The minor premiers then only lost two wickets during its chase which lasted 21.3 overs.
RSL’s leading wicket-taker, left arm spin bowler Jake Brayshaw, was named the 2020-21 NDCA first grade grand final man-of-the-match after finishing with a game-best 4-17 from 8.5 overs.
That defeat was the Razorbacks’ third in as many NDCA first grade grand finals.
The second grade grand final was played at Hogan Oval where RSL defeated Civeo by 26 runs.
RSL batted first and made 139 runs before losing its final wicket in the 39th over. It then bowled out the chasing side for 113 in 39.2 overs.
RSL’s wicketkeeper Tyson Gilmore was named the 2020-21 NDCA second grade grand final man-of-the-match. In the first innings, Gilmore entered the middle at number 10 and top-scoring for his team with 23 runs and was part of a 46-run final-wicket partnership with his side’s captain Jason Trindall, then in the second innings, Gilmore stumped two Civeo batsmen.
Those two grand final wins added to RSL’s dominant season in which it had already claimed the club championship, the first and second grade minor premierships and the second grade T20 premiership.
Club president Mick Dowdell said that he was proud of everyone involved with the club following what has been one of its most successful campaigns ever.
“It’s a big effort to win it all, I don’t think that’s been done in a fair while,” Dowdell said.
“I’m extremely pleased and proud of everyone at this club.”
Dowdell said that following many seasons with the club he now planned to retire and added that he felt comfortable doing so given the strength of the first grade side and the abundance of young talent rising through the second grade ranks.
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