ON THIS DAY - 14th April
Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | April 14, 2024
In 1962, Waratahs hit the B grade Final with the same indifferent form they had shown all season. With the ultimate trump, 16 year old Don Foster in their ranks (a Waratahs season record of 123 wickets) and a strong backup crew of Geoff Marshall (48), Bruce McClenaghan (37) and Dick Russell (28), they had no problem bowling sides out but the batting was unreliable. The aggregates looked impressive with six players qualifying for batting awards - McClenaghan (628 runs), Ray McIntyre 446, Graeme Hooper (387), Don Foster (361), Stuart Stanley (347) and Keith Dawson (287) - but they played a lot of innings for those runs and only Hooper, McClenaghan and McIntyre averaged over 20, the latter two marginally. As was the custom, Waratahs and Churches, having played all season on concrete pitches, mostly without matting, suddenly found themselves on a turf wicket and without the experience or skill to cope. Churches batted for all of the first Saturday, losing their last wicket right on stumps. Edwards and Hamel showed restraint in a 40 run partnership in the middle order which occupied two balls short of fifty overs! On day two, Churches opening pair of Philp and Yeomans made early inroads, with Waratahs soon 3-8. Foster stayed a while with McIntyre and then Hooper played the only bright innings of the game, completely against trend, hitting 6 fours in his 29. With McIntyre adhering to the stumps like barnacles, Waratahs had the game in their grasp at 4-62. Philp removed Hooper and then, after a 17 over spell, gave way to Hamel who did the hot knife through very soft butter trick and Waratahs last 6 wickets fell ingloriously for just 20. Ray McIntyre's stoic defiance, having been on the field for all but five balls of the match, was not enough.
Waratahs v Churches (Final) - B grade, 7th & 14th April 1962
