RSL secures NDCA’s second grade one day competition minor premiership

Narrabri RSL Cricket Club claimed an impressive fourth Narrabri District Cricket Association second grade one day competition minor premiership in five seasons on Saturday.

In doing so, RSL’s second XI became the first side to book a spot to play on grand final day in the 2022/23 season.

RSL took on Tatts at Hogan Oval in the 11th round of the campaign on Saturday and scored a 58-run victory in a match that went the distance. The RSL men batted first in the top-of-the-table clash after captain Justin Saunders won the toss and they made 225 runs in 40 overs before restricting Tatts to 5-167 in 40 overs.

Tatts went into that contest trailing RSL by six points and would have finished the round level on 59 points with the ladder leaders had it won.

However, RSL’s victory meant that it finished the weekend on 65 points and is now two wins clear at the top with just one round remaining in the regular season, and it can no longer be caught.

The defending champions now have two weeks off before the decider as they have a bye in round 12 and will then sit out when Tatts and Tourist Hotel contest the preliminary final a week later. They will then compete for a fifth consecutive premiership at Hogan Oval on Saturday, March 11, in the decider.

RSL won minor/major premiership doubles in seasons 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21, and then last year won the grand final after placing second on the ladder and prevailing in the preliminary final.

A dominant display with the bat at Hogan Oval on Saturday ensured that the side would finish on top again, as it scored 225 runs before losing its final wicket from the final ball of the innings.

Nick Baird and Tyson Gilmore opened the batting and combined for a 33-run partnership before Gilmore (24) was caught behind by Michael Hewett in the Rod Kirk-bowled sixth over.

That brought Mick Dowdell to the crease, and he and Baird produced a brilliant partnership that contributed 101 runs to the total in less than 13 overs.

RSL went into the first drinks break at the 15-over mark on 1-98 and were then on 1-134 in the 19th over with two balls to spare when Baird (70) was trapped in front by Chris Hartnett. Baird’s impressive knock included five fours and four sixes.

Dowdell lost five more partners who contributed a combined six runs, but the competition’s leading run-scorer continued to do the damage himself as he guided RSL towards a 200-run total.

He was eventually dismissed in the 37th over for a season-best score of 80 runs when he was caught by Josh Rose from the bowling of Jake Cooper. His brilliant innings included nine fours.

That wicket made the score 8-195, and then tail-enders Matt Tubner (22*) and Rowan Keeler (10) chipped in with handy contributions as RSL reached 225 runs.

The Tatts side’s best with the ball was Hartnett, who took 3-25 from eight overs. Teammates Bill Wood (2-23 from eight overs), Kirk (2-46 from eight overs) and Cooper (2-68 from eight overs) all claimed two scalps each, and Raj Chhetri (1-16 from four overs) also took a wicket.

Tatts established a positive start to its run chase in the second innings as openers Hartnett and Kirk guided the side into the 15-over drinks break at 0-60.

Their partnership came to an end from the final delivery of the Dowdell-bowled 19th over when the RSL man bowled Hartnett for 33 runs.

That made the score 1-67, which then became 3-90 at the end of the Tubner-bowled 23rd over when Wood (6) was caught by Alistair Wheeler, and Chhetri (0) was caught by Rowan Keeler.

Tatts went past 100 runs in the 25th over but desperately needed to pick up the run rate if it was a chance of winning the match.

Those chances took a major blow in the 26th over when Kirk (57) was bowled by Saunders for the chasing side’s top score.

That left Hewett and Cooper at the crease, and the pair combined for a 38-run partnership before Hewett (24) was caught by Baird from the bowling of Dowdell in the 33rd over.

That was the final wicket to fall in the innings as Cooper (29*) and Rose (6*) remained unbeaten after the final ball had been bowled.

The Tatts side fell 59 runs short of the required total but took a lot of confidence out of the match as it only lost five wickets.

RSL’s best with the ball was Dowdell with 2-18 from sevens overs, while Tubner (2-44 from six overs) and Saunders (1-27 from eight overs) combined for the other three wickets.

Dowdell’s efforts with both bat and ball saw him earn three NDCA best and fairest points for a man-of-the-match performance. His teammate, Baird, earned one point, and the two points went to Tatts’ Kirk.

Tourist Hotel had the bye in round 11 on Saturday and will be back in action this weekend in the 12th and final round of the regular season.

It takes on Tatts in what will be a preliminary final preview. That match will be played at Hogan Oval from 1pm.