RSL second XI cruise to victory over Tourist Hotel in round 10

Narrabri RSL Cricket Club continued their dominance in the second grade one day area on Saturday when they defeated Tourist Hotel by 33 runs to move more than four wins clear at the top of the table.

The two sides met at Hogan Oval in round 10 of the Narrabri District Cricket Association’s second grade campaign and RSL batted first after their captain Justin Saunders won the toss. They batted out the 40 overs to finish on 9-150 before bowling out Tourist Hotel for 117 runs in 34 overs.

It was the ideal return to red ball cricket for the five-time defending champions, who had not played a one day match since December last year following the T20 campaign and last week’s round nine bye.

The result saw them move to 86 points following eight victories, two washed-out draws, three byes and one loss so far this season across the one day and T20 formats, 27 points ahead of the second-placed Tourist Hotel who are on 59 points following three wins, three washed-out draws, three byes and five losses. Third-placed Tatts had the bye in round 10 and are now one just win behind Tourist Hotel after moving to 53 points. They have won just two games and had one washed-out draw, four byes and seven losses.

Tourist Hotel dealt an early blow in Saturday’s clash when Jamarl Zarka knocked over Tyson Gilmore (4) in the third over with the assistance of an Isaiah Cochrane catch to make the score 1-10.

Rod Tomlinson entered at number three for RSL to join Max Hunter in the middle and the duo put on a 48-run partnership to steer their innings in the right direction. It was broken in the 17th over when Andrew Wallace took a catch to dismiss Tomlinson (21) as Zarka took his second scalp of the day.

Hunter then lost two more partners as Tourist Hotel skipper Kaleb Mowle bowled Matt Tubner (2) and Gabe O’Connor (1) to make the score 4-67 at the 20-over drinks break.

Neil Brayshaw joined Hunter at the crease when play resumed and the duo put on a 38-run partnership to take their side past 100. It was broken when Hunter was caught by Adam Gordon in the Wallace-bowled 31st over for a game-high score of 41.

Brayshaw went on to make a handy contribution of his own as he added 34 runs to the RSL total before being bowled by Cochrane in the 39th over after RSL had lost Mick Dowdell (12) and Kyle McIlrick (1) in the 37th.

Scott Smith bowled the final over of the contest and managed to take a wicket as he bowled Beau Tomlinson (12), but that over cost Tourist Hotel 14 runs as RSL finished with 9-150 at the end of their 40 overs.

The competition’s leading wicket-taker Kaleb Mowle (2-24 from eight overs) was his side’s best with the ball on the day as he extended his 2023/24 season tally to 19 wickets. His teammates Cochrane (2-27 from eight overs) and Zarka (2-29 from eight overs) also claimed two scalps each, while Wallace (1-12 from four overs) and Smith (1-45 from seven overs) took one each.

RSL came out firing in the second innings and it was Saunders who did the damage as the skipper dismissed Tourist Hotel openers John Lawlor (0) and Matt Wall (10) cheaply to make the score 2-12 after seven overs.

It became 3-20 at the completion of the 10th over after Luke Baker bowled Lucas Hogan (7), and then 4-34 after 15 overs as Saunders claimed his third wicket of the day when he bowled Alan Whitmore (10).

That brought Isaiah Cochrane to the crease who established a 35-run partnership with Andrew Wallace to get their team’s chase heading in the right direction. However, Cochrane (21) departed in the 22nd over when Gabe O’Connor claimed his first wicket of the day with the assistance of a catch from his dad Craig.

Adam Gordon arrived at the crease following that dismissal and started on the front foot as he smashed a four to get off the mark. He lost Wallace (17), who was bowled by Gabe O’Connor in the 24th over, but then combined well with Smith to take Tourist Hotel into triple figures. Their partnership was 37 runs and Tourist Hotel were looking good on 6-115 in the 32nd over before Brayshaw turned the contest on its head with the big wicket of Gordon, who was caught by Rod Tomlinson for a team-best score of 25.

Tourist went into the 34th over on 7-117, but a brilliant Brayshaw triple-wicket-maiden brought the game to a close as the all-rounder bowled Smith (18) and Zarka (0) and then sealed the game with a catch off his own bowling to knock over Pat Mowle (0) as RSL won the contest by 33 runs.

Brayshaw finished with a game-best 4-7 from three overs, while Saunders took 3-19 from eight overs, O’Connor claimed 2-24 from six overs and Baker finished with 1-19 from eight overs.

The three NDCA best and fairest points went to Brayshaw following his dominant display with both bat and ball, while youngsters Cochrane and Hunter picked up the two and one, respectively.

RSL will play their last game of the NDCA second grade regular season this Saturday at Hogan Oval when they take on Tatts in round 11. They will then sit out with the round 12 bye and during the preliminary final as Tatts and Tourist go head-to-head in both of those fixtures.