Wilga Hotel Razorbacks extend impressive unbeaten streak as Matt Bradshaw continues to fire

Wilga Hotel Razorbacks’ dominance was on full display once again at Collins Park on Saturday as they returned to the top of Narrabri District Cricket Association’s first grade one day ladder with a 26-run victory over Tatts.

Last season’s undefeated minor premiers were three from three after seven rounds following two byes and two washed-out draws since the 2025/26 campaign got underway, and they were able to continue their unbeaten start with a comfortable victory to climb back into first place after they were dethroned by RSL a week earlier during their bye week.

The Razorbacks batted first after skipper Jack Tate won the toss, and they utilised their entire 40 overs to produce 6-145 before knocking over Tatts for 119 runs in 36.5 overs.

It was another Matt Bradshaw-inspired victory for the Wilga Hotel men as their gun opening batsman starred with another standout effort. He found runs hard to come by early on as it took him 27 deliveries to finally get off the mark in the 12th over before he found himself battling on three runs off 43 deliveries when he scored two in the 16th.

However, his patience paid dividends as he went on to register his second half-century of the season, scoring 56 runs from 104 deliveries before being caught by Jonty Schwager in the Craig Gleeson-bowled 39th over.

That innings-anchoring performance saw him move to 175 runs in the one day season at the top of the run-scorers tally, reclaiming first place on that list from Jake Brayshaw after RSL’s opener had overtaken him during Wilga Hotel’s bye a week earlier.

Including the one T20 match the Razorbacks have played this season, in which Bradshaw batted out the entire 20 overs to finish unbeaten with 49 runs, the in-form opener has registered 224 runs at an average of 56.

His teammate Clay Hoffman played his first match of the season on Saturday and was the only other Wilga Hotel batsman to reach double figures as he scored an unbeaten 42 runs from 61 deliveries.

The two top-scorers combined for an 86-run partnership to guide their side to 6-145 in 40 overs, with Tatts’ Jakeb Nipperess (3-28 from eight overs) the only bowler to take more than one wicket during that innings.

The Razorbacks got off to a strong start to the second innings as opening bowlers Jack Tate and Jay Hall produced a maiden each during the first four overs.

Tatts’ opener and leading run-scorer Jacob Nichols smashed Tate for a six early in the fifth over before the Razorbacks’ skipper responded in style to bowl him for 11 with the next delivery.

Tate then struck again in the seventh over when he bowled Jake Packer (1) during a wicket maiden, and Hall then delivered Tatts another blow in the 10th over when he dismissed Ed Currall (2), with the assistance of a catch from Toby Reynolds.

Tatts’ skipper Josh Campbell replaced Currall and got off the mark with two runs from the final delivery of that over to make the score 3-19 and end a streak of 28 consecutive dot balls that the Razorbacks’ openers had produced.

Greg Melton replaced Tate in the 12th over and picked up where the skipper had left off as he bowled 22 dot balls in his first four overs. He then bowled three more in his fifth, but he and Hoffman were unable to break the partnership of Campbell and Tom Craig as they took Tatts to 3-54 at the halfway mark of the innings.

Ty Baker was thrown the ball for the next over and he struck immediately as he dismissed Campbell (8) with his first delivery, but that was the only wicket to fall for the next 11 overs as Craig (46) guided the chasing side to 4-94.

Tatts needed 52 runs from their final 10 overs to win the match, but that pursuit took a major blow when Tate bowled Craig with the first delivery of the 31st over, and they were 5-114 after the end of the 34th over before Melton returned and knocked over both Craig Gleeson (7) and Dillon Hutton (0) to edge the Razorbacks closer to victory.

Baker then trapped Hugh Lennon in front and bowled Schwager in the 36th over, who both departed for second-ball ducks as Tatts found themselves at 9-117.

Nipperess was stranded on 24 runs at the other end as he watched five teammates depart, and it was he who was the last to fall when he was caught by Tate in the Melton-bowled 37th over.

Melton (3-9 from 6.5 overs), Baker (3-17 from six overs) and Tate (3-24 from eight overs) all finished with three scalps each in their side’s 26-run victory, while Hall (1-13 from seven overs) took the other wicket.

The best and fairest points went to Craig (three), Bradshaw (two) and Nipperess (1).

The Razorbacks are now on top of the table with 36 points, a win clear of second-placed RSL (30), who sat out with the bye in round eight.

Tatts (25) are just five points behind RSL but have played one more game than the two sides ahead of them, while Boggabri Colts (21) and Tourist Hotel (16) are now separated by just five points following their match at Jubilee Oval on Saturday.

This weekend’s round nine matches will see Tatts challenge RSL at Hogan Oval while the Razorbacks travel to Jubilee Oval to take on the Boggabri Colts.