RSL wins second grade clash to jump to second on the ladder

There was only one game played in the sixth round of Narrabri District Cricket Association’s 2021-22 second grade one day season on Saturday after one team was forced to forfeit due to it being unable to field a team.

RSL defeated Tourist Sports Bar by 129 runs at Hogan Oval, which saw the defending champions leapfrog their opponents into second place.

RSL now only trails Tatts, which remained on top of the table without having to lift a finger on Saturday after its round six opponents Tourist Hotel forfeited their match which was scheduled to be played at Gately Field.

Tatts went into the weekend a point clear of Tourist Sports Bar at the top of the table, but its forfeit victory means it is now three points ahead of the new second-placed side.

The two top-ranked teams could set up an epic battle in the eighth and final round of the regular season on Saturday, March 5, if both win their respective round seven matches this Saturday.

In round six, RSL skipper Justin Saunders won the toss at Hogan Oval on Saturday and elected to bat. His side piled on 189 runs before losing its final wicket in the 38th over of the 40-over innings.

Tourist Sports Bar only managed to score 50 runs in the game’s second innings before its chase ended in the 22nd over.

RSL batted well as a team in that match as the side recorded its largest total of the season.

The defending champions’ opening batsman Alistair Wheeler scored a game-best 36, while fellow opener Chris Watkins (16) and number three batsman Nick Baird (30) also made handy contributions to get their side off to a flying start.

Middle order duo Neil Brayshaw (28) and Tyson Gilmore (14) kept the run rate ticking over before lower order duo Karan Veer Dhiman (17) and Luke Baker (10*) chipped in with starts towards the end.

Tourist Sports Bar’s Jason Smith opened the bowling for his side and came back on later to finish off the innings with the final wicket to finish with a team-best 3-23 from 6.2 overs, which included two maidens.

Tourist Sports Bar’s chase suffered an early blow when one of RSL’s opening bowlers, Jordan Doolan, claimed a wicket in the second over.

His opening bowling partner was Baker, who turned up the heat with a double-wicket-maiden in the third to make the score 3-5.

Tourist Sports Bar reached 3-20 after 10 overs before its innings collapsed as it lost a wicket in four consecutive overs as the score became 7-28 after 14.

Following his top effort with the ball, Smith entered the middle at number eight and scored a team-best 18 to guide Tourist Sports Bar to 50.

He was dismissed in the 22nd over as Tourist Sports Bar fell 130 runs short of the required total.

RSL used seven bowlers on the day, five of whom celebrated at least one wicket.

Baker took a game-best 3-9 from six overs, Saunders (2-15 from five overs) and Will Hong (2-9 from four overs) took two wickets each and Doolan (1-11 from three overs) and Gabe O’Connor (1-0 from 0.2 overs) both claimed one each.

RSL will return to Hogan Oval for its round seven match this Saturday where it will challenge Tourist Hotel. The other round seven game is scheduled to be played at Gately Field where Tatts and Tourist Sports Bar will go head-to-head.