ON THIS DAY - 27th February
Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | March 03, 2026
In 1960, ERIC SMITH (#82) took 11-44 for A grade, combining with Don Paul (#37) to roll Churches quickly on the second day and grab the outright points. Smith is one of Waratahs forgotten past heroes, with a terrific all round record. Lots of familiar names in the Churches side.
Waratahs v Churches - A grade, 20th & 27th February 1960
In 1971, allrounder TONY FAILES made his career highest score, 100 not out for A-Res grade, adding 129 with IAN CAMPBELL (#212) for the 3rd wicket against Easts. No other details are known about the game.
In 1982, a very young CHRISTIAN QUAIFE (#372 - pictured right) made the first of two Waratahs hundreds as 4th grade chased down Ex Services 274 and won by 3 wickets. He and DANNY BROWN (#404) added 136 for the 2nd wicket, with Brown dominating and making 76 of them. Quaifey then combined with first Matt Campbell (#363) and then Gareth Pickering (#418) to get Waratahs close before the tail almost made a meal of the ending!
Waratahs v Ex Services - 20th & 27th February 1982
In 1988, ALEC FINLAYSON (#340 - pictured left) made a typically rapid century, 113 opening the batting for 3rd grade and setting them on to the highest score ever by a Waratahs 3rd grade side and in just 57 overs. He and PETER EVANS (#532) addded 169 for the 3rd wicket, after Waratahs had started at 2-12, Martin Hadfield (#545) out cheaply in what was an otherwise heavy run season for him. Later in the innings, JERREMY ROACH (#521) put what turned out to be sour icing on the cake, having to retire hurt on 95, his highest Waratahs score. Ex Services used nine bowlers and then ten batsmen, folding in just 25 overs and giving up the outright points.
Waratahs v Ex Services - 3rd grade, 20th & 27th February 1988
Upstairs in the 2nd grade game, wicketkeeping opening bat, medium pacer STEVE HADFIELD (#524) held 1 catch and took 3 stumpings off Bede Ryan (#503) as Ex Services were slogging wildly at the end of a big innings. Only Ross Ridley (#8), 34 years earlier, has taken more stumpings in an innings.Christian Quaife (#372) was the only batsmen to take the game to Ex Services in a disappointing first innings which featured five ducks: 3 of them amongst the first five batsmen!
Waratahs v Ex Services - 2nd grade, 20th & 27th February 1988
In 1993, CRAIG BLAKE (#671) made a horror 1st grade debut, making a pair against Hillgrove on the one day, both times bowled by Mark Jackson, as Waratahs lost 17-80 in just 28 overs batting on the first day. There were 7 other ducks. Spanner (#573) and Bill Johnson (#520) at least made Hillgrove bat a second time in a game that used just 13 overs on the second day. It was boom and bust for Blake. He had started the season in 5th grade with two centuries in his first three innings!
Waratahs v Hillgrove Colts - 1st grade, 27th February & 6th March 1993
