Tourist Hotel overcome Hewett heroics after RSL continue winning streak at Leitch Oval

RSL and Tourist Hotel both won their respective matches at Leitch Oval on Saturday as Narrabri District Cricket Association’s second grade one day competition round five fixtures were both played at the same venue.

With Cooma Oval and Gately Field both too wet to play on, the second grade matches were played back-to-back at Leitch Oval and were reduced-over games, with each innings being shortened to 20 overs from 40.

RSL and the SignPrintStitch Colts played first and the defending champs defeated the competition newcomers by 17 runs.

RSL batted first after being sent in by Colts captain Mick Dowdell, and they made 7-79 during their 20 overs before restricting the Colts to 4-62 in the second innings.

Tourist then won in similar fashion as they outscored Tatts by 27 runs.

The Tourist Hotel side batted first after winning the toss and they made 77 runs in 17.2 overs before limiting Tatts to 8-50 from their 20 overs in the second innings.

Those two results saw RSL remain undefeated and two wins clear at the top of the table. They are now on 32 points following four wins and a washed-out draw, while Tourist Hotel are on 20 points following two wins, two losses and a washed-out draw. The Colts are in third place with 14 points and Tatts are ranked last on 13 points.

Bailey Keeler was the standout for RSL in the first game of the day as he top-scored with 34 runs. He arrived at the crease at number three in the fifth over to partner his brother Rowan after Kyle McIlrick (1) had been caught behind by Jakson Dowdell from the bowling of David McInnes, and he lost six partners as he anchored the innings for the defending champs.

Rowan Keeler (18) was his only teammate to reach double figures on the day.

Bailey was eventually dismissed in the 19th over when McInnes bowled him to make the score 7-76, and Luke Baker (2*) and Neil Brayshaw (1*) remained unbeaten in the final over as RSL finished with 7-79.

McInnes (3-12 from three overs) was the Colts’ best with the ball.

Gus Ford and Fletcher Whan opened the batting for the Colts in the second innings and were held to 12 runs in the first nine overs of the innings by RSL bowlers Saunders, Rowan Keeler, Baker and Brayshaw.

Brayshaw made the breakthrough for RSL in the 10th over when he bowled Whan (5) to make the score 1-17, which became 2-25 in the 13th when Ford (10) was bowled by Baker.

The Colts were only two wickets down with three overs to go but they needed to score 35 runs to win. That was a task that proved too tricky as the Keeler brothers held them to just 17.

Bailey bowled Brendan Jenkins (9) in the 18th over and Rowan dismissed Matt Wall for a team-best 20 runs in the 19th, which left George Barton and McInnes at the crease together. They both ended up unbeaten on three runs as the Colts finished on 4-62.

Brayshaw, Baker and Rowan Keeler all finished their four-over spells with 1-12, Bailey Keeler claimed 1-20 from his four overs, and Saunders bowled superbly without taking a wicket as he finished with 0-2 from four overs.

Bailey Keeler earned the three NDCA best and fairest points in that match, Barton was awarded two and Rowan Keeler picked up one.

Tatts enjoyed a successful start to the second match of the day as their wicketkeeper Michael Hewett had a field day behind the stumps with two catches and three stumpings to help make the score 5-38 after eight overs.

Tourist Hotel opener Aaronn Baker (13) was the side’s only batsman in the top six to reach double digits, and it was Isaiah Cochrane who ended up top scoring with 17 after entering at number seven. Cochrane’s efforts helped Tourist Hotel reach 77 before they lost their final wicket in the 18th over.

Bentley Myers (3-17), Jarrod Gould (3-20) and Brock Schwager (3-25) all took three wickets each from four overs and Jake Cooper claimed 1-9 from three overs.

Tatts then batted out the full 20 overs but they fell 28 runs short of victory. Their captain Jesse Packer was the only Tatts player to hit double figures as he scored a team-best 14 runs.

The Tourist Hotel opening bowlers Andrew Harvey (2-5 from four overs) and Cochrane (2-7 from four overs) were their side’s best with the ball, and Scott Smith (2-8 from four overs) and Chris Smith (1-9 from four overs) also impressed. There was also one wicket that fell via a runout.

Harvey earned the three NDCA best and fairest points in that match, Myers picked up two and Cochrane was awarded one.

Tourist Hotel and SignPrintStitch Colts will return to Leitch Oval this weekend where they will meet in a round six encounter, while RSL and Tatts will go head-to-head at Gately Field.

Those matches will return to the 40-over format and will be the last games played before the holiday break.