RSL second XI does the double again

RSL Cricket Club’s second XI capped off another successful year by claiming a second consecutive Narrabri District Cricket Association second grade premiership on Saturday afternoon at Hogan Oval.

The team scored a five-wicket win against Tatts to complete a memorable minor/major premiership double, the same feat it achieved last season.

RSL finished with 84 points, this season 12 ahead of third-placed grand final opponents Tatts.

In the decider Tatts batted first after skipper Bill Wood won the toss.

The side made 100 in 37.5 overs before RSL chased that down in 28.1 overs for the loss of five wickets to be crowned champions.

RSL youngster Will Ford starred on the day for his team, taking 3-15 from 7.5 overs with the ball and also claiming a runout wicket.

Ford was later announced the NDCA’s most improved player in the second grade competition.

The batting side got off to a very slow start in Saturday’s decider, and at drinks at the halfway point of the innings Tatts had lost three wickets while scoring just 29 runs.

The first wicket fell in the sixth over when Bernard O’Connor ran out Tatts opener Guy Gleeson (5)

Gleeson’s replacement Josh Rose survived just three balls before he was bowled by RSL skipper Jason Trindall in the in the ninth over which made the score 2-15.

That became 3-22 in the 13th over when Tatts’ other opener Ash Watt (9) was trapped in front by Ford.

Those wickets left Sid Harvey and Michael Hewett at the crease and that pair put on a 35-run partnership which was Tatts’ best on the day.

It was finally broken in the 26th over when Daniel Hughes dismissed Sid Harvey (14) who was caught by O’Connor at cover.

Brad Graham was the next man in for Tatts and he added just three runs before he was caught by Craig O’Connor in the Chris Watkins-bowled 29th over which made the score 5-68.

That became 6-75 during the next over when RSL took the big wicket of Hewett who was run out by Scott Duncan for a team-best 29 runs.

Those wickets left Tatts duo Dylan Segundo and Ryan Steel in the middle together and the pair put on a 16-run partnership before departing in quick succession.

In the 33rd over Steel smashed a shot back down the wicket and RSL’s bowler Watkins touched the ball onto the stumps to run out Segundo (7).

The next over Steel was bowled by Ford which made the score 8-92.

In the 36th over Ford, who was bowling at the time, showed quick thinking to pick up the ball and run out Ben Redfern (0).

Ford then took the final wicket in the 38th over when he bowled Jonty Fowler (1) as Tatts fell for 100.

Ford (3-15 from 7.5 overs including two maidens), was his team’s only multiple wicket taker while Trindall (1-15 from seven overs including two maidens),

Watkins (1-25 from seven overs including one maiden) and Hughes (1-27 from eight overs including one maiden) were the champion team’s other wicket takers.

The only other RSL player to bowl on the day was Justin Saunders who did not take any wickets but built pressure with an economical 0-14 from eight overs which included three maidens.

RSL opened the batting with Craig O’Connor (10) and Tyson Gilmore (17) who put on a 31-run first-wicket partnership to get the chasing side off to a positive start.

Gilmore was bowled by Segundo in the ninth over before O’Connor was bowled by Fowler in the 10th over which gave Tatts hope at 2-34.

Matt Gilmore entered at number three and score five runs before he was bowled by Harvey in the 17th over which made the score 3-49.

That saw Hughes join Watkins in the middle and the pair put on a 22-run partnership to take RSL to 70.

Hughes (4) was also bowled by Harvey five balls after the 20-over drinks break which made the score 4-70.

But Tatts was only able to take one more wicket in the innings, which saw Fowler bowl Chris Watkins for a game-best 33 in the 26th over to make the score 5-86.

Trindall (12*) and Beau Tomlinson (7*) guided the chasing side home to victory, with Trindall hitting the winning run in the 29th over.