RSL and Tatts score big wins in round 11

The 11th round of the Narrabri District Cricket Association 2019-20 second grade one day season was contested on Saturday, December 21.

The two matches almost did not go ahead due to extreme heat but both were played as 35-over games as per the NDCA’s heat policy.

At Collins Park the competition leaders RSL challenged third-placed Western Imperial Razorbacks, while at Hogan Oval second-placed Civeo went head-to-head with fourth-placed Tatts.

The two games’ chasing sides RSL and Tatts both scored convincing wins in the final matches of the calendar year.

RSL secured its sixth straight victory after chasing down the 100-run total set by the Razorbacks in just 24.5 overs for the loss of two wickets to win by eight wickets.

In that match RSL’s Will Ford was awarded the three NDCA best and fairest points for a man-of-the-match performance.

Ford dismissed two of the Razorbacks’ top three batsmen Shane Robinson (17) who he bowled, and Nathan Hamblin who was caught by Matt Gilmore for a team-best 30 runs.

Ford finished with 2-5 from six overs which included four maidens.

Also impressing with the ball for RSL was Chris Watkins who claimed 3-4 from 3.3 overs including a maiden.

With the bat RSL lost two early wickets as openers Alistair Wheeler (3) and Bernard O’Connor (15) were both dismissed.

Veteran duo Craig O’Connor (39*) and Gilmore (20*) then guided their side home to the eight-wicket win.

Tatts’ victory was an even more impressive nine-wicket win.

Tatts limited Civeo to 130 runs before taking the final wicket of the innings from its final delivery, before needing just 23 overs to get the job done as it chased down the required total after losing just one wicket.

Like Ford for RSL, a young bowler for Tatts earned the three NDCA best and fairest points for a brilliant spell with the ball.

That was Joey Fowler who destroyed the Civeo top and middle order, claiming the scalps of six of the top seven batsmen to finish with 6-2 from five overs including three maidens.

Civeo’s Matt Potter top scored for his team again with an innings-saving 61 to take his season total to 548 runs at an average of 109.6.

Despite Potter’s efforts his side could not go on to win the game.

Tatts’ opening batsmen Guy Gleeson and Ash Watt put on a 55-run partnership before Watt (23) was bowled by Potter in the 15th over.

Gleeson (55*) and number three batsman Eben Botha (41*) then put on a 79-run partnership to earn their team the massive win.

That victory meant that the Tatts moved to 47 points, just one win behind both Civeo and the Razorbacks (53 points each).

RSL went into round 11 leading both Civeo and the Razorbacks by just one victory, but the ladder leaders’ win saw it move two wins (12 points) clear at the top of the table on 65 points.

RSL has the round 12 bye when the 15-round one day competition resumes on Saturday, February 8, meaning that with three rounds to go in the campaign the defending champs will lead the ladder by at least two victories as they look to secure automatic grand final qualification for a second straight season.

The five second grade teams will now swap the whites for the coloured uniforms as they turn their attention to the shorter format of the game with the T20 campaign set to begin this Saturday.

While the traditional first grade club-based T20 competition was scrapped this season to make way for the thriving Coates Hire Namoi Super Slog, NDCA second grade teams will still contest a five-team club-based competition.

Each team will play the other four sides in the competition once, then the two teams which place first and second on the ladder will meet in the February 1 grand final.

The NDCA second grade T20 competition’s regular season matches will be played across three Saturdays, meaning each team will play two games in a day on one of those three matchdays.

This Saturday, Crossroads will play twice when it challenges RSL in the season opener at Hogan Oval from 3pm before going head-to-head with defending champions Tatts from 7pm at Collins Park. In the other round one match Civeo and the Razorbacks will face off at Hogan Oval from 7pm.