Tourist Hotel knocks Western Razorbacks out of finals contention

The three teams that will take part in Narrabri District Cricket Association’s 2021-22 first grade one day season finals series have been locked in after the Western Razorbacks bowed out of contention on Saturday.

The Razorbacks went into a round eight contest against Tourist Hotel well aware that they required a win to keep their finals hopes alive.

However, the third-placed Tourist defeated the last-placed Razorbacks by five wickets to create a gap of two wins and a point between the two teams with just two rounds left.

That means the Wee Waa-based club cannot finish any higher than last this season, and any chance of reaching a fourth consecutive grand final is now gone.

At the other end of the ladder, defending champions RSL are in the drivers’ seat to earn both the minor premiership and the automatic grand final qualification that comes with finishing first after it made light work of Tatts at Collins Park in the other round eight game.

At Leitch Oval, the Razorbacks’ top four combined for just 12 runs off the bat, a week after they combined for 182 in a 140-run win against RSL.

They could not repeat those heroics in round eight as Jade Lees dismissed Justin Knight (0), Daniel Hamilton (0) and Clay Hoffman (3), and Hamish Duncan removed Steve Phelps (9).

Those wickets made the score 4-19 in the 12th over, which became 5-36 in the 18th when Lees claimed his fourth wicket of the day by removing Josh Trindall (13).

Middle order batsman Chris Smith top-scored for the Razorbacks with 16 runs, but the side’s innings took a huge hit when he was dismissed in the 26th over by Chris Sargent, which made the score 7-55.

A 10-man Razorbacks side managed to score 20 more runs before losing its ninth and final wicket in the 33rd over.

All five bowlers used by Tourist Hotel took at least one wicket. Lees (4-17 from nine overs) was his side’s best with the ball, while Sargent (2-17 from seven overs) took two and Mark Page (1-2 from 2.4 overs), Sawan Bodla (1-18 from five overs) and
Duncan (1-19 from nine overs) all claimed one scalp each.

Duncan backed up an impressive effort with the ball with a superb knock with the bat. He opened for Tourist Hotel and scored a game-best unbeaten 42 as he became his side’s leading run-scorer for the 2021-22 season.

He lost five partners in that innings but shrugged that off as he remained composed and guided the chasing side to victory.

Page (18) provided some assistance with the game’s second highest score, while the Razorbacks’ Josh Trindall continued his impressive form with the ball with 2-18 from nine overs.

The Razorbacks’ other two wicket-takers were Brandon Couley (2-25 from nine overs) and Justin Knight (1-12 from 5.2 overs).

Tourist Hotel moved to second place on the NDCA first grade after winning that game. It joined Tatts on 32 points, but jumped its rivals on net run rate.

The Tourist men will challenge the ladder leaders RSL at Collins Park in round nine this Saturday, while the Razorbacks will return to Leitch Oval where they will meet Tatts.