Tatts produces miraculous fightback to claim second grade minor premiership

Tatts Cricket Club’s second XI is the minor premiers of Narrabri District Cricket Association’s 2021-22 second grade one day competition following a phenomenal victory in a top-of-the-table clash against Narrabri RSL Cricket Club on Saturday.

The two sides went into the eighth and final round of the season well aware that the winner of their contest at Hogan Oval would finish at the top of the ladder and earn the automatic grand final qualification.

Tatts got the job done after it scored a four-wicket win to claim the second grade minor premiership for the first time since the 2013-14 campaign.

RSL batted first on Saturday and made 129 runs before losing its final wicket at the end of the 36th over. The defending champions came out firing in the second innings and put Tatts on the ropes early after taking 6-26 inside 11 overs.

However, Tatts’ captain Craig Gleeson (56*) and gun all-rounder Dylan Segundo (44*) produced a remarkable 109-run partnership to save the game and carry their side to a memorable victory.

In doing so, Gleeson’s men ended RSL’s three-season run of second grade dominance. Since Tatts won the 2017-18 season grand final in March of 2018, RSL has enjoyed a sensational run that saw it win three consecutive minor and major premierships during that time. But as a result of Saturday’s loss the side was denied the chance to win its fourth consecutive minor/major premiership double.

Tatts has now qualified for a second grand final appearance in three years following five wins, a draw and two losses in the 2021-22 season, which saw it amass 41 points. It will take on either RSL or Tourist Sports Bar in the March 19 decider at Hogan Oval after those sides meet in the preliminary final this Saturday at the same venue.

RSL finished second on 32 points following three wins, two draws and three losses, while Tourist Sports Bar totalled 28 points after it won three games, drew once and lost four times.

The most recent of those losses was on Saturday in round eight when it went down by 112 runs against clubmates Tourist Hotel at Leitch Oval.

Tourist Hotel ended the season in fourth spot on 25 points following two wins, two draws and four losses.

On Saturday at Hogan Oval, Gleeson won the toss and sent RSL in to bat.

He began to question that decision early in the contest as RSL raced to 0-56 in the 10th over. However, opening bowler James Keys finally made the breakthrough during that over when he bowled RSL danger man Nick Baird (29*), which opened the floodgates as Gleeson and former Tatts second XI skipper Bill Wood ripped through the rest of the RSL batting lineup.

They combined for the second and third wickets when Wood filled in for the injured Michael Hewett behind the stumps and took two catches off Gleeson’s bowling.

That made the score 3-74 after 17 overs, which became 5-85 after 22 overs when Segundo bowled Alistair Wheeler for a team-best 39 and Josh Rose ran out Luke Baker (2).

Hewett eventually returned to the field after copping a knock to the mouth earlier in the innings, and that allowed Gleeson to bring Wood on to bowl.

Wood took three of the final five wickets to finish with 3-18 from six overs, only outdone by Gleeson who took two more to finish with 4-18 from eight overs.

Openers Segundo (1-31 from six overs) and Keys (1-34 from eight overs) finished the innings with one scalp each.

Tatts’ chase suffered an early blow in the game’s second innings when Gabe O’Connor caught Jesse Packer (0) at point in the Baker-bowled third over.

O’Connor ran out Guy Gleeson in the seventh over, before RSL’s captain Justin Saunders caught Ryan Steel (0) from the bowling of Baker and Karan Veer Dhiman bowled Michael Hewett (0) to make the score 4-14 after eight overs.

That became 6-26 during the 11th when Baker bowled Bill Wood (10) and dismissed Darcy Gleeson (0) with consecutive deliveries.

Craig Gleeson saw off Baker’s hat-trick ball as he and Segundo got an outstanding, match-winning partnership underway.

Gleeson struck seven fours and cleared the fence once on his way to an unbeaten 56, while Segundo smashed three sixes and three fours before reaching an unbeaten 44.

The two Tatts men were patient during their 21 overs in the middle together and were rewarded for classy shot selection and impressive running between the wickets. Their 109-run partnership was one that RSL could not crack as Tatts won the match by four wickets.

RSL’s Baker finished that innings with 4-29 from eight overs, while teammate Karan (1-9 from six overs) was the only other wicket-taker.

Gleeson and Segundo were rewarded for their match-winning efforts with the three and two NDCA best and fairest points, respectively, while the single point was awarded to Alistair Wheeler.