ON THIS DAY - 21st February
Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | February 21, 2026
In 1953, in a must win match on the eve of the semi-finals, A grade had to beat the powerful Uralla side to qualify. At 2-11, with Kelly Barnden right on top on the first day, LAURIE COOPER (#2 - pictured) and ROSS RIDLEY (#8) tuned the game around with a partnership of 113 for the 3rd wicket before ooper was decived by Walter Taylor. Ridley took over and held the innings together and was unlucky to be out six short of what would be a desrved century. K Godley (#35) made two breakthrough before stumps but Uralla were always in the game while Walter Taylor was still at the crease. Uralla were steadily heading to the target when Don Paul's (#37) introduction again changed the game. Kliendienst was caught at slip by Alan Gray (#26) but it was with victory in sight that Paul spectacularly ran out Barnden and then trapped Taylor lbw in the next over. The tail was easy after that but the margin was slim and Waratahs snuck into the semis.
Waratahs v Uralla - A grade, 21st & 28th February 1953
In 1959, TONY MORRISS (#78) fired up against against Dumareq after an indifferent B grade batting effort and secured the first innings points, taking 7-32 including the hat trick. On the second day, Ted Crotty (#98) and Arty See (#81) were the only batsmen to stay for long enough to set a target but it proved enough with John McIntyre (#99) getting a second innings pfeiffer.
Waratahs v Dumaresq - B grade, 21st & 28th February 1959
In 1998, RYAN MCDONALD (#782) pulverised Easts after earlier batsen for 4ths had showed stoic defence and worn the bowling down. Coming in at 3-74, with Waratahs still 100 behind, he made 152 of the next 222 runs before Waratahs declared. James Harwood (#758) took the schythe to the Easts batting line up, with onlu Andrew Murphy able to reach double firgure among the 9 players who remained in the dying stages of the match.
