1st Grade Runners Up - 1980/81
Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | September 17, 2023
Waratahs A Grade Runners Up 1980-81
Back row: Graham Frost (333), Wes Davis (386), Peter Langston (357), Rene Mullen (321), Brian Mair - Captain (307)
Front row: Graham Johnson (207), Roger Sattler (378), Tony Bennett (355), Terry Betts (205), Michael Connolly (293)
Absent from photo: Merv Philp (268)
Easts 197 (Brian Warren 46, Ray Eddie 28, Neill Baillie 28, Bruce Taylor 26. Michael Connolly 4-45, Wes Davis 3-54) defeated Waratahs 172 (Graham Frost 71. Neill Baillie 3-46, Mike Porter 3-63) by 25 runs.
Easts star-studded line up never got away from Waratahs on the first day, with no one making a big score and 197 didn't look beyond us. With the veteran Mullen breaking down after only six overs, the remaining bowlers - Connolly, Davis, Sattler and Mair - did their work well, with the last six wickets falling for just 49 and the match pretty even. Sunday's play told a different story, with the season's leading run scorer, Connolly (500 plus) leaving in the second over. Sattler and Langston steadied but the former's controversial dismissal when See was introduced to the attack might have bought Frost to the wicket but it signalled a disastrous collapse as Waratahs lost 5-60. Frost played an elegant innings, full of trademark drives and cuts and added 52 with Bennett before Baillie deceived him with one that got to him slower than expected. Baillie proved too good for the tail and was the best of the bowlers, his figures coming from 19 overs. Stalwart Mike Porter kept Easts in the game, bowling his 27th over when the victory was achieved.
