Tatts first XI cruise back into the top three with four-wicket win

Tatts Cricket Club stormed back into the top three in Narrabri District Cricket Association’s 2025/26 season first grade one day competition on Saturday after cruising to a four-wicket win against Tourist Hotel at Collins Park.

Having entered the weekend in fourth place, Tatts were well aware that a victory in their round 11 contest would see them climb back above a Boggabri Colts side that was sitting out with a bye, and they got the job done as they bowled Tourist Hotel out for 97 runs in 34.2 overs before chasing down the required total in 18.4 overs.

The four-wicket win also saw them join second-placed RSL on 36 points after the defending champions lost a top-of-the-table clash against the Wilga Hotel Razorbacks by seven wickets at Leitch Oval on Saturday.

RSL and Tatts are both three wins behind the undefeated Razorbacks, who moved to 54 points after winning for the sixth time in as many matches, while Tourist Hotel’s loss saw their slim finals hopes evaporate as they remained 18 points outside the top three with 18 points.

The Tourist men were determined to get off to a positive start to what was a must-win match in round 11, however, their top order was ripped apart by Tatts opening bowler Jonty Schwager as the right-arm quick produced a devastating six-over spell that saw him claim the wickets of Lucas Hogan (1), John Lawlor (0) and Hamish Duncan (0) as he took 3-9 to leave the batting side struggling at 3-22 after 12 overs.

Schwager was replaced by Rod Kirk in the 14th over, and the Tatts veteran continued right where his teammate left off as he produced three straight maidens before striking in his fourth over when he knocked over Matt Wall (3) with the assistance of a Schwager catch to make the score 4-31 just before drinks.

That wicket brought Matt Conroy to the crease, who finally broke Kirk’s impressive run of 23 consecutive dot balls with a four to get off the mark at the end of that over, and he went on to top score for Tourist Hotel with a quick-fire 31 runs from 21 deliveries. He and opener Nick Tomlinson (17) combined for their side’s largest partnership of the contest as they put on 26 runs for the fifth wicket before Kirk struck again to dismiss Tomlinson in the 24th over.

That made the score 5-56, which then became 5-68 just two deliveries into the 25th over when Conroy struck back-to-back sixes off the bowling of Jake Packer, but the Tatts all-rounder had the final say as he dismissed Conroy with the third ball of that over as Kirk held onto a crucial catch to put his side well on top.

Josh Campbell and Tom Craig then combined for the next three wickets to put Tourist Hotel on the ropes at 9-93 in the 33rd over before Jakeb Nipperess brought the innings to a close in the 35th when he ran out Terrance Duncan (1) as Tourist Hotel finished all out on 97.

Schwager was not required to bowl again after his first spell and finished the innings as Tatts’ best with the ball with 3-9 from six overs, while Kirk (2-18 from eight overs) and Campbell (2-12 from five overs) claimed two scalps each and Craig (1-7 from three overs) and Packer (1-34 from eight overs) took one each.

Karl Hatfield (33) and Craig (24) then guided Tatts to a four-wicket win with some impressive batting in the second innings.

Tourist’s opening bowlers Hamish Duncan and Dylan Segundo did manage to strike early on as Duncan bowled Jacob Nichols (10) in the fourth over before Dan Treseder caught Packer for a duck in the Segundo-bowled fifth over.

That made the score 2-25 before Hatfield and Craig put on a 34-run partnership for the third wicket, 24 of which Craig scored as he blasted two sixes and two fours during a 13-ball innings before being bowled by Conroy.

Tom Groth was then knocked over by Duncan for a golden duck in the 10th over as the score became 4-62, and the next wicket fell in the Luke Meppem-bowled 16th over when Hatfield (33) was caught by Kaleb Mowle.

Tourist Hotel managed one more wicket when Conroy bowled Campbell in the 19th over, and that brought Craig Gleeson to the crease, who finished the match with a six from his first ball to bring the contest to an end as Tatts chased down the required total with more than 21 overs to spare.

Tatts now face a fight to remain in the top three this Saturday when they challenge the Boggabri Colts at Hogan Oval, and the other round 12 match will see Tourist Hotel look to bounce back when they meet RSL at Collins Park.

The undefeated Wilga Hotel Razorbacks have the bye before they take on Tatts in round 13 the following weekend.