RSL demolishes Western Razorbacks by eight wickets in the NDCA first grade grand final

Narrabri RSL Cricket Club was crowned Narrabri District Cricket Association first grade champions for the first time in eight years following a crushing eight-wicket victory at Collins Park on Saturday.

RSL entered the 2020-21 NDCA one day competition decider chasing its first premiership since 2013, and it got the job done comfortably against the Western Razorbacks.

The Razorbacks batted first after their skipper Ty Baker won the toss and the Wee Waa-based side could only manage 55 runs from 37.5 overs.

RSL chased that down in 21.3 overs having lost just two wickets.

RSL’s bowlers were at their brilliant best on the day and all six used took at least one wicket.

Man-of-the-match Jake Brayshaw claimed four of those and finished with a game-best 4-17 from his 8.5 overs which included a maiden.

Pace bowlers Cody Kember (2-7 from nine overs) and opener Nathan Trindall (1-4 from seven overs) were outstanding. Both men bowled five maidens each during their economical spells to combine for 10 of the team’s 13.

Fellow pace bowler Cooper Brayshaw (1-12 from six overs) and opener Jarrett Tough (1-9 from six overs) took a wicket each and bowled a maiden each. Leg spinner Matt Tubner (1-2 from one over) also claimed a wicket on grand final day.

Behind the stumps, wicketkeeper Craig Summers claimed five dismissals after taking two catches and three stumpings.

The win was the perfect ending to Tough’s first year as the RSL first XI captain.

Tough, who has now played 13 seasons for the club’s first grade side, told The Courier that it felt special to captain RSL to its first top grade premiership since 2013 and that he was keen to skipper the side again next season.

“Definitely [want to captain again next season],” Tough said.

“It was great to win the grand final this year after a long season, although it was a bit of an anti-climax winning off a leg bye. There was no cheering and yahooing after that.

“We’ll be back next year and hopefully we’ll pretty much have the same team. Talking to the guys after the game on Saturday most of them said they’d be back.

“I’m unsure about Mick (Dowdell), I think it was his last game, but we have a lot of good young fellas there in second grade ready to come through so we should be looking pretty good for the next few years.”

Tough said that he was surprised that Saturday’s grand final was so one-sided.

“The game definitely didn’t go as I expected it to, I thought it’d drag out a bit longer than it did,” Tough said.

“I think we just bowled really well, there were only nine wides which I reckon would be the lowest amount I’ve seen in a first grade game in a long time.

“I would have batted first if I’d have won the toss, but I think that bowling first really helped us, it helped calm the nerves rather then getting out there and batting first through those.

“We fielded really well I thought. We only dropped a couple of catches which were both hard chances.

“That first innings was exactly what I wanted out of the boys and I was glad that it all came together on the day.”

RSL established its dominance early in the match. A Trindall maiden in the first over set the tone for the entire first innings which saw the Razorbacks finish with a run rate of just 1.5.

It was even less than that at the first drinks break. At the 15-over mark, the Razorbacks were struggling at 2-16 having lost Baker (3) in the eighth over and Chris Smith (0) in the 12th.

The Razorbacks added just 28 runs in the second 15-over session while losing three wickets to go into the 30-over drinks break at 5-44.

Daniel Hamilton (8) departed in the 22nd over followed by Josh Trindall (0) in the 23rd and Jay Hall (0) in the 25th.

The Razorbacks’ leading run-scorer Justin Knight was still at the crease at that stage which meant that the Razorbacks were still a chance of reaching a defendable total.

However, the Wee Waa men suffered a major blow just two balls after drinks when Knight (20) was stumped by Craig Summers during what was Tubner’s only over of the grand final.

The score became 6-44 when Knight departed and his side added nine more runs before losing its final wicket in the 38th over to fall for 55.

The Razorbacks took two wickets during its defence and went up for plenty of shouts for close calls that were turned down which created some excitement during the second innings.

Mick Dowdell (8) was trapped in front by Brandon Couley in the fourth over after smashing the only six of the match two overs earlier.

That wicket made the score 1-14, which became 2-34 in the 12th over when Knight trapped Tim Shields (12) in front.

The chasing side entered the 15-over drinks break at 2-42, then only needed 6.3 more overs to get the job done after play restarted. Shane Murphy (17*) and Zaac Brayshaw (4*) guided RSL home to victory.