RSL bowl their way to victory against Wilga Hotel Razorbacks to remain undefeated

It was a clash of the titans when RSL and the Wilga Hotel Razorbacks faced off at Hogan Oval on Saturday night, but the two in-form Narrabri District Cricket Association teams failed to deliver the runfest that was predicted.

The Razorbacks entered the contest undefeated in six matches across all competitions and RSL were unbeaten in the T20 campaign, but nether side batted like it as RSL eventually got the job done by 15 runs.

RSL batted first after their skipper Jarrett Tough won the toss and they registered 74 runs in 16.4 overs. The Razorbacks then made 59 runs in reply before losing their last wicket with seven deliveries to spare.

It was a disappointing end to a game that started in positive fashion for the Wilga men, with their club president Greg Melton ripping through the RSL top order in the third over when he bowled Jake Brayshaw (1) and Jordan Doolan (0) before knocking over Zaac Brayshaw (0) with the assistance of a Jack Tate catch.

Tate had opened the bowling with Melton and produced a wicket of his own in the fifth over as he removed Tough (8) during a wicket-maiden.

That made the score 4-18 as RSL found themselves in serious trouble, however, Cody Kember and Cooper Brayshaw then put on the side’s best partnership of the contest as they combined for 38 runs.

Kember (9) was caught by Nathan Hamblin in the Zack Doring-bowled 11th over as the score became 5-56, and that kick-started another collapse for RSL as they lost 6-18 to end up all out on 74 runs in the 17th over.

Cooper Brayshaw (36) produced what was eventually a match-winning innings and he was the only batsman from RSL to reach double digits.

Hamblin (3-1 from two overs, which included a double-wicket-maiden) was the Razorbacks’ best with the ball and Melton (3-17 from three overs) also ended with three scalps.

Tate produced another fine spell as he ended with 2-12 from four overs, while Doring (1-20 from four overs) and Guy Percy (1-21 from four overs) took one wicket each.

Four of the Razorbacks’ top eight run-scorers after four rounds did not line up in the round five contest at Hogan Oval, and that showed as they were rolled for their lowest total of the season. They only managed 59 runs as they fell 16 short of the required total.

Just as RSL did to end their innings, the Razorbacks lost 6-18 to start theirs as six of their first seven batsmen had departed by the first ball of the eighth over.

Kember got the ball rolling with the first wicket of the second innings in the second over as he dismissed Tate, who was caught by Beau Tomlinson for three runs.

Cooper Brayshaw then bowled Josh Schwager for a duck in the third over, before Kember bowled Melton (4) and Hamblin (0) in the sixth. The RSL quick was on a hat-trick after claiming those two scalps, and RSL had a big shout after he struck Jack Maunder on the toe, only for the appeal to be turned down.

Maunder (1) eventually departed in the ninth over when he was bowled by Nathan Trindall as it became 6-18.

Pat Hubbard was still at the crease after opening the batting and he put on a 19-run partnership with Zack Doring before RSL finally dismissed him in the 13th over for a patient 10 off 35 deliveries. He was caught by Kyle McIlrick from the bowling of Will Ford.

Doring then combined for a 13-run partnership with Mark Rottger to take the chasing side to 50 runs, but they departed in quick succession in the 16th and 17th over as Rottger (1) was trapped in front LBW by Tough before Doring departed for a team-best 21.

Those two wickets left Percy and Ambrose Farquhar together at the crease for the final partnership, and they both scored three runs before Farquhar was run out by Zaac Brayshaw.

That brought the innings to a close as the Razorbacks fell 15 runs short with seven deliveries to spare.

Kember led the way with a brilliant bowling spell of 4-9 from four overs to earn the three NDCA best and fairest points. His opening bowling partner Cooper Brayshaw picked up 1-6 from three overs and earned the two best and fairest points after top-scoring in the first innings.

The other wicket-takers for RSL were Ford (1-10 from four overs), Trindall (1-12 from 1.3 overs) and Tough (1-13 from three overs).

The victory saw RSL stay undefeated and two wins clear at the top of the table. They are now on 32 points as a result of four wins and a washed-out draw.

That leaves them two wins clear of the fellow round five winners Tourist Hotel, who moved to 20 points after beating Tatts by 59 runs at Leitch Oval.

The Razorbacks are now locked on 14 points with Tatts at the bottom of the table and will need to take down Tourist Hotel in the last round of the T20 campaign at Collins Park on Saturday, February 1, if they are any chance of securing second place and qualifying for the grand final.

The other round six first grade match will see RSL meet Tatts at Leitch Oval.

There will be no NDCA cricket held this weekend due to the Australia Day long weekend.