ON THIS DAY - 4th April

Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | April 04, 2024

In 1976, A grade lost another Final, the last in a sequence 9 Finals defeats out of 11 in the seasons since 1966-67 ... and one of those victories was a rained out One Day Final when Waratahs shared the Premiership with Page, despite being 5-29 when the game ended. In this year, it was St Peters first A grade Premiership and fittingly so. David Mitchell rode his luck, being dropped three times supported by the peerless Keith Smith and despite another splendid 28 over effort by Joice and 21 overs from Terry Mackenzie (2-52). Waratahs top order crumbled before the pace of Bower, his three wickets coming in his first five overs and at 4-16, there was no comeback. Trestrail and Mathieson made 51 for the 6th wicket but McCann mesmerised the middle and late order with his leg spin and it was all over by mid afternoon on the Sunday.

Waratahs v St Peters (Final) - A grade, 3rd & 4th April 1976

St Peters 259 (David Mitchell 106, Keith Smith 61, Stuart McDowell 49. Brian Joice 6-76); Waratahs 104 (Jack Trestrail 34, Bruce Mathieson 24. Mark McCann 4-38, Brian Bower 3-21)

A-Res won the Premiership with a 10 wicket outright defeat of Churches. By stumps on the Saturday, Waratahs were in front on the first innings with all wickets intact and despite collapsing on the Sunday, their bowling again made light work of Churches. Peter Galbraith made 82 in Waratahs first innings which won him the Beau Richardson Trophy for the best individual performance for the club for the season. It was Waratahs 4th Premiership since 1968-69, the other three being against a hapless Hillgrove.

Waratahs v Churches (Final) - A-Res grade, 3rd & 4th April 1976

Churches 80 & 119; Waratahs 160 (Peter Galbraith 82) and 0-42.