RSL eliminate Tatts from finals contention in low-scoring game

Narrabri RSL Cricket Club’s first XI ended the regular season in victorious fashion at Leitch Oval on Saturday, but batting woes that have plagued them so far in 2025 persisted as they struggled to chase down the lowest total of the Narrabri District Cricket Association’s 2024/25 campaign.

The defending champs challenged Tatts in their round nine clash and bowled first after Tatts’ skipper Jakeb Nipperess won the toss.

It was a must-win match for Tatts, who entered the weekend six points behind Tourist Hotel in last place, but the RSL men rolled them for just 48 runs in 17 overs.

What should have been a simple chase for RSL was anything but as they found themselves in trouble at 4-19, but they ultimately got the job done as they made 5-49 in 13.1 overs.

That poor batting performance comes after RSL were bowled out for 74 and 76 in back-to-back T20 games earlier in the year before needing 19 overs to chase down 81 in the short format grand final, during which they lost five wickets.

They were then the only first grade side not to post triple figures when the 40-over campaign resumed last month as they were knocked over for 97 runs while attempting to chase down a 191-run total set by the Wilga Hotel Razorbacks.

RSL managed to get themselves off to a blistering start to Saturday’s round nine clash at Leitch Oval as Cooper Brayshaw bowled a maiden in the first over before Nathan Trindall took wickets in the second and fourth to knock over Rod Kirk and Ed Curral for ducks.

That made the score 2-6, which then became 3-22 in the ninth over when Niperess (3) was caught by Jordan Doolan during Will Ford’s third over of the game.

The RSL youngster ended that over with another wicket as he dismissed Ryan Steel (8) to take it to 4-30 after the Tatts batsman had struck two boundaries.

Ford then bowled a wicket-maiden in the 11th over to claim the big wicket of Tatts opener Jake Packer, who was trapped in front LBW for a team-high score of 18, and Ford struck again in the 13th over when he bowled Gregg Gray (2) to make the score 6-36.

Tatts attempted to get themselves back in the match as they ended the 15th over at 6-43, but Brayshaw ripped away any chance that Tatts had of reaching triple digits when he claimed three wickets in four balls in the 16th over to remove Brodie Heron (3), Brock Heideman (0) and Brendon Ward (0).

Ford then closed out the innings with his second wicket-maiden in the 17th over as Alistair Wheeler took a catch to dismiss Jonty Schwager (5) as Tatts fell for 48 runs.

Ford ended the innings with game-best figures of 5-21 from seven overs, and Brayshaw (3-16 from six overs) and Trindall (2-10 from four overs) were the only other two bowlers used by RSL.

Tatts needed an early breakthrough if they were any chance of playing finals cricket this year, and Heron produced that as he dismissed Jordan Doolan (1) in the third over.

Heron’s opening bowling partner Schwager then knocked over Doolan’s opening batting partner Jake Brayshaw (2) during a fourth-over wicket-maiden, and Schwager’s third over of the contest was even better as he bowled Zaac Brayshaw (6) and trapped Bailey Keeler (0) in front LBW during a double-wicket-maiden.

Those two scalps made the score 4-19 after six overs and they left Max Hunter at the crease with Ford. They put on a 15-run partnership before latter was caught by Grey in the Heron-bowled 11th over.

Hunter (13*) and Cooper Brayshaw (10*) then put on RSL’s second 15-run partnership of the innings to bring the match to an end in the 14th over when Hunter scored the winning runs off the bowling of Steel.

Schwager ended up with 3-21 from six overs and Heron finished with 2-25 from seven overs.

The best and fairest points were all awarded for bowling performances, with Ford polling three, Cooper Brayshaw awarded two and Schwager picking up one.

Tatts’ season is now over after they finished in fourth spot on 21 points following just one win and six losses.

They ended up one win behind Tourist Hotel (27 points), who went down by 100 runs against the Wilga Hotel Razorbacks at Collins Park on Saturday afternoon.

RSL and Tourist Hotel will meet in this Saturday’s preliminary final at Collins Park where they will battle it out for a chance to meet Wilga Hotel in the March 15 decider.

With wet weather forecasted for late this week and into the weekend, a washed-out game will see RSL go straight through given their superior ladder position.