RSL dish out another beat down to go two wins clear at the top of the ladder

A dazzling bowling performance led Narrabri RSL Cricket Club’s first grade side to another nine-wicket T20 win against Tourist Hotel on Saturday.

The two sides faced off at Hogan Oval in the fourth round of Narrabri District Cricket Association’s 2024/25 campaign short format competition as the season resumed following the Christmas and New Year holiday break.

RSL’s skipper Jarrett Tough elected to bowl first after winning the toss and his team dominated the contest from start to finish, knocking over Tourist for 59 runs in 19.3 overs before chasing down the required total in 10 overs, having only lost one wicket.

It was an even more emphatic win than the one they produced in their round one encounter with Tourist back in October when the RSL men also prevailed by nine wickets as they chased down 100 runs in 17.3 overs.

RSL’s other victory in the T20 comp was a chasing one against Tatts in the third round when they won by seven wickets, meaning they have only lost five wickets in three games so far.

Saturday night’s round four victory was inspired by a man-of-the-match performance from pace bowler Will Ford. The 19-year-old was introduced into the attack in the 10th over as Tourist were struggling at 4-25. He ensured his side continued to win the battle as he claimed 4-5 from four overs. His spell included a wicket-maiden and 19 dot balls, with his five runs conceded from five singles, and he also contributed to the third wicket of the night when he ran out Hamish Duncan to make the score 3-17.

Ford was awarded three NDCA best and fairest points for his efforts in that first innings, while teammates Cody Kember (two) and Cooper Brayshaw (one) also earned best and fairest points after they both took 1-10 from their four-over spells.

Fellow quick Nathan Trindall bowled the first over of the game and took a wicket with his third delivery as he bowled Nick Tomlinson (2).

Brayshaw then charged in from the bridge end and produced 11 dot balls in his first two overs before striking with the first delivery of his third when he knocked over Tomlinson’s opening partner Dylan Segundo (1), who departed after Bailey Keeler took a brilliant catch at first slip.

That made the score 2-12 in the sixth over, which became 3-17 when Ford ran out Duncan (6) in the seventh.

Those three wickets left Lachlan Cameron and Josh Trindall at the crease together for Tourist Hotel, and the two big-hitters were determined to swing the innings back in their side’s favour. They were unable to do so though as Kember bowled Trindall (2) in the ninth over before Cameron (3) was caught and bowled by Ford in the 10th.

The score was 5-27 at the halfway mark of the innings and Tourist Hotel never recovered as RSL took the next five wickets at the expense of just 32 runs.

Luke Meppem (9) top-scored for his side before becoming Ford’s fourth victim, while Connor Duncan and Chase Harrington both scored eight runs before being bowled by Jake Brayshaw and Tough, respectively.

RSL used seven bowlers during the innings and six took wickets. Ford’s match-best effort of four wickets and a runout was supported by Jake Brayshaw (1-6 from two overs), Tough (1-6 from 0.4 overs), Nathan Trindall (1-9 from three overs), and Kember and Cooper Brayshaw (both 1-10 from four overs).

Tough and Jake Brayshaw opened the batting in the second innings and RSL got on the front foot early as nine runs came from Segundo’s first over.

They were then dealt a blow when Brayshaw retired hurt after being hit by a bouncer, but his replacement Bailey Keeler helped Tough take their side to 0-32 after seven overs.

Tough was caught behind by Kaleb Mowle for 15 in the Harrington-bowled eighth over before Keeler and Kember guided RSL to the nine-wicket win, which was secured in the 10th over when Keeler struck a four to bring the contest to a close. He finished with 16 runs from 26 deliveries and Kember was unbeaten with 19 runs from 10 deliveries after smashing two fours and a six during his short time at the crease.

The win saw RSL go two wins clear at the top of the NDCA first grade T20 ladder as they scored their third straight win. Tough’s men are now on 25 points with four from the round two draws added into calculations, while Tourist Hotel are now locked on 13 points with both Tatts and the Wilga Hotel Razorbacks.

Those three sides have all won one game and lost two across the first four rounds after the Razorbacks took down Tatts by 38 runs at Leitch Oval on Saturday.

RSL will return to Hogan Oval this Saturday to challenge the Razorbacks in round five, while Tourist and Tatts will look to bounce back from their round four losses when they meet at Leitch Oval.