Three on the trot for RSL first XI following six-wicket win against Tourist Hotel

A third straight victory has seen the Narrabri RSL Cricket Club first XI join Tourist Hotel Cricket Club on 34 points at the top of Narrabri District Cricket Association’s first grade one day competition ladder as the RSL men scored a comfortable six-wicket win against Tourist Hotel at Collins Park on Saturday.

Tourist Hotel batted first in the round seven match after winning the toss and made 125 runs before losing its final wicket from the final delivery of the 45-over innings. RSL then needed just 28.3 overs to get the job done, and the defending champions only lost four wickets while chasing down the 126-run total.

Bernard O’Connor starred in his first game for RSL since round one with a game-best score of 67 runs. He scored six fours and a six during his time at the crease, and he earned the three NDCA best and fairest points following his impressive knock.

Earlier in the afternoon, RSL struck in the seventh over when opening bowler Nathan Trindall dismissed Tourist Hotel opening batsman Hamish Duncan for a duck in the seventh over. Zaac Brayshaw held onto the catch to dismiss his cousin, which made the score 1-8.

The second wicket fell during the next over when Mark Page (1) was run out by Jake Brayshaw, and then Brayshaw delivered the third wicket in the last over before drinks when he removed Tourist danger man Josh Trindall (11) who was caught by Jordan Doolan, which made the score 3-38.

That became 4-61 in the 25th over when Brayshaw struck again, this time removing Mitch Foster (5) who was caught by Cooper Brayshaw.

Opening batsman Nick Tomlinson lasted almost 28 overs at the crease before he was finally dismissed by RSL skipper Jarrett Tough for a team-best 42 runs.

That made the score 5-73, and Tourist Hotel eventually went into the second drinks break at 5-78.

They then lost five wickets in the final session while adding 47 more runs.

Tough took the next wicket as he bowled Dylan Segundo (11) in the 32nd over, and Cooper Brayshaw got in on the action when he bowled Jason Paull (5) in the 35th.

Jye Manton (17) provided some late resistance for Tourist Hotel before he was caught by Shane Murphy in the Will Ford-bowled 42nd over, and then Brady Jenkins (0) and Brendan Jenkins (4) fell late in the innings to Trindall and Tough, respectively.

Tough took the final wicket of the innings with the last delivery to finish with a game-best 3-21 from nine overs. Trindall (2-19 from nine overs) and Jake Brayshaw (2-28 from nine overs) were RSL’s other multiple wicket-takers, and Ford (1-13 from eight overs) and Cooper Brayshaw (1-28 from nine overs) finished with one each.

RSL got off to a fast start during its chase, as the score after four overs was 0-22. However, Tourist dealt a double blow in the fifth over when Manton bowled Doolan (5) and then removed Zaac Brayshaw (0), who was caught by Mark Page from the final delivery of a brilliant double wicket-maiden.

Opening batsman Jake Brayshaw was then joined by O’Connor at the crease, and the duo combined for a match-winning 93-run partnership that lasted almost 18 overs.

O’Connor was eventually caught by Brady Jenkins in the Page-bowled 23rd over, and only one more wicket fell in the innings as Shane Murphy (1) was caught by Page during the Trindall-bowled 27th over.

Brayshaw (32*) was still standing when he and his brother Cooper (2*) guided RSL to the required total in the 29th over as RSL won the match by six wickets.

Following his unbeaten knock, two wickets and a runout, Jake Brayshaw was awarded one NDCA best and fairest point, while the two points went to Tomlinson.

The other round seven match was won by Tatts, which prevailed by forfeit against the Western Razorbacks. That was the Tatts side’s first win of the season following four washed-out draws and two losses, while the Razorbacks are still winless, and in fact are still yet to play a game this season following four washed-out draws and three forfeit losses.

Round eight matches this Saturday have RSL scheduled to take on Tatts at Collins Park, and the Razorbacks scheduled to meet Tourist Hotel at Leitch Oval.