ON THIS DAY - 5th October
Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | October 05, 2023
In 1957, Waratahs A grade had a rude shock when the Armidale High School team had them chasing leather all afternoon, making 286. ERIC SMITH (#82) had a long spell at the bowling crease, becoming the first Waratahs bowler to concede a hundred runs in an innings in taking 5-109. ALAN GRAY (#26) held three catches in the innings, two of them early when the innings that had been on the rails at 3-34, thanks to breakthroughs by opening bowlers Graeme Moffatt and John Carr. It was an ex-player who did a lot of the damage, as 1953 Final star and AHS teacher Don Paul (pictured) made 114 not out and shared a 4th wicket partnership with R Bennett that added 191. On the second day, the same pair routed Waratahs for 103.
While Paul and Bennett might have dominated but there was no shortage of talent in the AHS side: Brian Roberts and Ray Rose would play for Waratahs, among others and Dick Mills, Ray Blair and Allan Dudley would all be future stars on the fields of Armidale.
