Tatts second XI misses out on a grand final spot as rain ends the preliminary final prematurely

Tatts Cricket Club’s second XI were on the verge of reaching a third straight grand final on Saturday as they had Tourist Hotel all but beaten in their Narrabri District Cricket Association preliminary final clash, but heavy rain fell that sent the Tatts side crashing out of the competition.

The match was held at Leitch Oval after it was initially scheduled to be played at Hogan Oval. Rain on Friday night forced the fixture to be moved, and it also started 30 minutes later than scheduled and was dropped to 35 overs an innings from the standard 40.

Tourist Hotel batted first after Tatts’ skipper Jesse Packer won the toss and sent them in, and they were only able to score 84 runs before being bowled out in the 30th over. Tatts were then cruising at 2-69 in the ninth over of the second innings as the rain began to fall and the match was abandoned.

Just like in first grade, Tourist Hotel progressed to the decider as they were the higher-ranked team on the ladder at the end of the regular season.

Tourist Hotel’s innings started on the front foot as openers Matt Wall (20) and Adam Gordon (21) put on for a 46-run partnership that lasted almost 14 overs. It was broken in the 14th over when Gordon was trapped in front by Rod Kirk, and that started a collapse as Tourist Hotel lost 10-38 to finish all out on 84 at the end of 30 overs.

Apart from the two openers, Lucas Hogan (11) was the only other batsman to reach double figures.

Jake Cooper (4-23 from four overs) was Tatts’ best with the ball and his teammates Lee Iselin (3-8 from three overs) and Kirk (3-13 from seven overs) combined for the other six.

Tatts lost an early wicket as Michael Hewett (12) departed in the Kaleb Mowle-bowled third over, but Kirk (23) and Ryan Steel (29*) put on a 48-run partnership in less than six overs.

Kirk was bowled by Gordon in the eighth over as the score became 2-65, and Tatts were only able to add four more runs before the game was called off just two deliveries into the Mowle-bowled ninth over. Tatts were 2-69 at that stage, requiring just 16 runs to win with 31.4 overs left and with eight wickets in hand.