Tatts demolish the Boggabri Colts to set up a mouth-watering clash against Wilga Hotel

Tatts Cricket Club kept their minor premiership hopes alive on Saturday as they cruised past the Boggabri Colts in round 12 of Narrabri District Cricket Association’s first grade one day season to set up a blockbuster top-of-the-table contest against the Wilga Hotel Razorbacks.

Tatts and Boggabri met at Hogan Oval as the Colts went in search of rejoining the top three, but it was Tatts who prevailed in emphatic fashion as they beat their opponents by eight wickets.

Boggabri batted first and made just 39 runs before losing their final wicket in the 19th over of the innings, and Tatts then chased down the 40-run required total in 10.2 overs, having only lost two wickets.

It was a result that saw the Tatts go two wins behind the top-ranked Wilga Hotel Razorbacks as they gave themselves a chance to claim the minor premiership for the first time since 2018.

Those two sides will now meet this Saturday in round 13, which Tatts must win to continue their pursuit of top spot.

Their round 12 victory over Boggabri in round 12 was inspired by Rod Kirk, who became the first Tatts player and the fifth player across all teams this season to take a five-wicket haul in the first grade competition.

The Tatts club veteran claimed 5-4 from five overs, which included three maidens and 26 dot balls from his 30 deliveries.

Kirk has played with Tatts for more than 30 years, and he told The Courier that Saturday’s win was one of the most dominant he has been a part of.

“We’ve had some big wins over the years, but I can’t think of many times we’ve bowled a team out for 39,” Kirk said.

“To be honest, our bowlers have been bowling well this season, but we’re now starting to field really well as well.

“We’ve dropped a few catches and been a bit sloppy this season, but we’ve pulled that in the last few weeks.

“Things are really starting to come together in the field.

“There was really good energy in the field there on Saturday, and we were backing the bowlers really well.”

Opening bowlers Brodie Heron and Jonty Schwager both struck early on Saturday. Heron got the ball rolling with the first wicket of the game in the second over to dismiss Jarod Adams (1) with the assistance of a spectacular one-handed catch from Karl Hatfield at second slip, before Schwager bowled Nick Millar (1) and Josh Colling (2) in the third to make the score 3-12.

Those wickets left Boggabri’s captain Cody Kember and club president Nathan Millar at the crease together, and the duo produced their side’s best partnership of the day as they looked to get the innings back on track for their side.

However, that partnership only produced 19 runs, and it was broken in the ninth over when Kirk struck with his second delivery of the match as he bowled Millar (9).

That made the score 4-31, which became 5-32 later in that over when Heron held onto a catch to dismiss Safi Noumann (1).

That wicket kick-started a phenomenal passage of bowling from Kirk, who produced 20 straight dot balls, including a maiden in the 12th over, a double-wicket maiden in the 14th over that included the wickets of Cody Kember and Justin Woolley to make the score 7-35, and a third maiden in the 16th after he had taken a catch in the 15th to help Schwager knock over Andrew Guest for a duck.

Kirk then bowled four more dot balls during the 18th over and secured his fifth wicket when he bowled Andrew Mullins, and his skipper Josh Campbell then took Tatts’ 10th wicket with the first ball of the 19th over as wicketkeeper Tom Groth secured the first stumping of the season to dismiss Anthony Guest (1).

Nick and Nathan Millar opened the bowling in the second innings and they stunned the Tatts side as Nathan bowled a maiden first up before Nick produced a wicket-maiden in the second over, during which he bowled Ed Currall for a duck to make the score 1-0.

That then became 2-13 in the fifth over when Colling secured a wicket with his second ball as Craig Summers stumped Hatfield (4).

Tatts were determined not to make a mess of another run chase after losing six wickets in their pursuit of 98 runs against Tourist Hotel a week earlier, and an experienced duo ensured they got the job done quite easily as Campbell (15*) and Groth (14*) put on 27 for the third wicket to guide their side to a dominant eight-wicket win.

All eyes are now on their clash with the Wilga Hotel Razorbacks this Saturday as the two top-ranked sides go head-to-head at Collins Park.

Wilga Hotel can secure the minor premiership with a win in that match, while Tatts can reduce the gap between them to one win if they can get the job done.

The other round 13 contest on Saturday will see Boggabri look to bounce back when they meet Tourist Hotel at Hogan Oval.