Razorbacks make it five from five to stay two wins in front

Christmas came early for the Wilga Hotel Razorbacks on Saturday as the Narrabri District Cricket Association’s first grade one day competition ladder leaders extended their winning streak to five games.

The undefeated Razorbacks made it five from five in the sixth round of the campaign with a seven-wicket victory against Tourist Hotel at Hogan Oval that was inspired by club president Greg Melton. The all-rounder took two wickets in the first innings as his side knocked over the Tourist men for 118 runs in 36 overs, and he opened the batting in the second innings and top-scored with an unbeaten 67 runs to guide his team to a dominant win as they reached 3-120 with 14 overs to spare.

Jay Hall and Nathan Hamblin also provided the Wilga side a significant boost as both men lined up for their first one day fixtures in the 2024/25 campaign, with Hall taking a game-best four wickets and Hamblin hitting 30 runs in an 80-run partnership with Melton.

The big win saw the Razorbacks maintain their two-win lead at the top of the ladder over second-placed RSL after the defending champions were also victorious in round six. They took on Tatts at Collins Park and won with seven deliveries to spare after chasing down 158 runs.

It was Melton who struck first at Hogan Oval on Saturday as he bowled Tourist opener Nick Tomlinson (7) in the fourth over to make the score 1-7, which became 2-28 in the 12th over when Hall replaced Melton and bowled Lachlan Woolford (10) with his third delivery.

Zack Doring took the big wicket of former Razorback Josh Trindall (14) when he bowled Tourist’s number four batsman in the 19th over to make it 3-49, and Hamblin made it 4-78 in the 25th over when he bowled Dylan Segundo (20).

Tourist opener Hamish Duncan was then joined by his skipper Luke Meppem and the duo took their side into triple digits. They helped Tourist reach 4-111 in the 31st over before Hall claimed his second scalp of the day when he trapped Meppem (10) in front LBW.

That started a batting collapse that saw Tourist Hotel lose 6-7, inside of which there was a mini collapse of 4-0, as their promising innings came crashing down in disastrous fashion.

Melton returned for a second spell and knocked over Ed Pavey (2) with the assistance of a Pat Hubbard catch in the 34th over, and Hall followed that up with a double-wicket-maiden in the 35th as he bowled Duncan for a team-best 38 runs and then trapped his replacement Chase Harrington in front for a fourth-ball duck.

Doring produced a wicket-maiden in the 36th, during which he bowled Kallum Mallows (1) and Jack Tate ran out Kaleb Mowle (0) as Tourist fell for 118 after losing 4-0 in the 35th and 36th overs.

On a day that saw the comp’s top wicket-taker go wicketless for the first time this season, Tate was still able to produce an economical 0-18 from eight overs and chip in with a runout while his teammates stood up and got the job done. Hall (4-14 from seven overs) led the way, Melton and Doring both finished with 2-19 from seven overs and Hamblin claimed 1-12 from two overs.

It was Segundo who took the new ball for Tourist in the second innings and he got his side off to a flying start as he took 2-12 in a six-over spell to help make the score 2-13 after seven overs and 2-27 after his last over in the 11th of the innings.

The Tourist quick claimed both of his wickets during wicket-maidens when he bowled Angus Galagher for a third-ball duck in the third over and then knocked over Tate (2), who was caught behind by Woolford during the seventh.

Tourist were on top at that stage, but Melton and Hamblin then put on an 80-run partnership to wrestle back momentum for the Razorbacks. Hamblin eventually departed for 30 runs in the Meppem-bowled 23rd over when he was caught by John Lawlor, but Melton (67*) and his Wilga Razorbacks skipper Matt Bradshaw (3*) secured the seven-wicket win in the 26th over when Melton’s third six of the day saw them reach 3-120.

That match was the two sides’ last in the NDCA one day competition until February 15. There will be no club cricket for the next three weekends as the NDCA hosts the Town v Country T20 Charity Cup match this Friday night, which will be followed by the Christmas and New Year break.

The 2024/25 season will resume on Saturday, January 11, with round four of the T20 campaign. The Razorbacks will challenge Tatts at Leitch Oval that day while Tourist Hotel meet RSL at Hogan Oval, both from 6.30pm.