Tatts on top following a tight two-wicket win against RSL

Tatts Cricket Club is on top of the Narrabri District Cricket Association second grade one day ladder after scoring a two-wicket win against the defending champions RSL at Cooma Oval on Saturday.

In the second round of the 2021-22 season, RSL batted first after winning the toss and reached 93 runs before losing its final wicket in the 38th over.

Tatts chased down the required total in less than 29 overs to score its second win of the season.

Its first victory was earned by forfeit in round one on Saturday, November 20, against Tourist Sports Bar.

Tatts has accumulated 14 points so far this season, leaving it a win clear of second-placed Tourist Sports Bar (eight points), which won its round two match against Tourist Hotel in Wee Waa on Saturday (see full report below).

At Cooma Oval on Saturday, RSL started slowly and scored at just above two runs an over during the first 20 before it went into drinks at 3-41.

The first wicket of the game fell in the fourth over when Tyson Gilmore (3) was caught by Guy Gleeson from the bowling of Jake Cooper, which made the score 1-11.

Tatts then took two quick wickets when Danny Laws (9) was caught behind by Bill Wood in the Jonty Fowler-bowled 14th over and Rod Tomlinson (13) was bowled by Jesse Packer in the 15th.

That made the score 3-34, which became 4-48 in the 24th over when RSL skipper Chris Watkins (8) was caught by Josh Rose from the bowling of Ben Keys.

RSL’s best partnership was then formed when Beau Tomlinson and Will Ford combined for 26 runs before Tomlinson (16) was caught by Packer from the bowling of Keys in the 30th over, which made the score 5-74.

Ford top-scored with 26, but RSL lost its final five wickets while scoring just 19 more runs as it ended the innings on 93.

All six bowlers used by Tatts on the day took at least one wicket. James Keys took two of the final five wickets to finish with a team-best 2-18 from eight overs, while Ben Keys took 2-23 from eight overs and Craig Gleeson (1-4 from four overs), Cooper (1-9 from two overs), Fowler (1-15 from eight overs) and Packer (1-19 from eight overs) all took one each.

Tatts’ chase got off to a flying start as openers Ash Watt and Guy Gleeson combined for a 40-run first-wicket partnership.

They reached that 40-run mark in nine overs before RSL finally made a breakthrough in the 10th when Will Ford bowled Watt (20).

RSL co-captain Justin Saunders then removed Guy Gleeson (10) in the 11th over before the chasing side suffered a collapse which saw it struggling at 5-45 in the 17th over.

Tatts skipper Craig Gleeson then entered at number seven and took over the game to guide his side to victory.

Gleeson scored an unbeaten 32 and smashed a huge six in the 29th over to secure the win for his team.

Tatts had lost eight wickets at that stage, the last of which was taken in the 25th over to make the score 8-76.

RSL’s best with the ball was Ford, who took 2-7 from six overs. Saunders (2-30 from eight overs), Jordan Doolan (2-17 from eight overs), Watkins (1-12 from two overs), and Blake Jarrett (1-17 from four overs) also took wickets.

RSL will return to Cooma Oval on Saturday, where it will take on round two winners Tourist Sports Bar, while Tatts will travel to Wee Waa, where it will take on Tourist Hotel at Dangar Park.

Tourist Sports Bar downs clubmates in Wee Waa

Tourist Sports Bar celebrated its first win of the 2021-22 Narrabri District Cricket Association second grade one day season on Saturday when it downed clubmates Tourist Hotel by three wickets.

Last season’s grand finalist, which was named Civeo during the 2020-21 campaign, won the toss at Wee Waa’s Dangar Park on Saturday and sent Tourist Hotel into bat.

Tourist Hotel scored 191 runs before losing its final wicket in the 34th over, which Tourist Sports Bar reached in 31.3 overs, having lost seven wickets.

Tourist Hotel’s innings got off to a promising start when Aaron Baker and Lachlan Woolford combined for a 62-run opening-wicket partnership.

John Lawler struck twice in the eighth over of the innings when he dismissed Woolford (18) and then bowled his replacement DJ Allen (0) to make the score 2-62.

Baker was eventually dismissed for a game-best 60 in the 15th over when he was trapped LBW by Matt Conroy.

Tourist Hotel middle-order duo Luke Ensbey (14) and Dustyn Allen (31) made handy contributions before the side found itself in trouble at 7-109.

However, the tail wagged, which was led by Jye Manton’s unbeaten 24, and Tourist Hotel finished with 191 runs to defend.

Conroy (3-17 from five overs) and Lawler (3-41 from six overs) took three wickets each for Tourist Sports Bar, Jason Smith (2-37 from six overs) took two and Max Vogel (1-18 from two overs), and David McInnes (1-51 from eight overs) took one each.

Tourist Sports Bar’s top four, which included Mitch Foster (12), McInnes (25), Callum Mallows (8) and Alyssa Ford (26), all chipped in and made handy contributions early in their side’s chase before the middle order brought the game home.

Tim Hayne entered at number six and scored 45 runs before retiring.

He struck three sixes and six fours in that innings.

Sudintha Perera (18) was impressive at number seven, then Conroy blasted 26 runs at number 10, which got the chasing side over the line.

He smashed three consecutive sixes in the 31st over, which saw Tourist Sports Bar reach the required total and win by three wickets.

Tourist Sports Bar will go in search of its second win of the season this Saturday when it challenges RSL in round three.

Tourist Hotel will return to Wee Waa, where it will challenge Tatts at Dangar Park.