SEMIS - 2nd Grade v Easts 1984
Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | March 21, 2026
Waratahs only played 6 of their games to conclusions during the regular season, winning 5, with rain causing a couple of draws and the other a high scoring drawn game with Easts. It was an older looking side, captained by Jack Trestrail (#303) and with experienced players such as Graham Patterson (#346), Brian Connolly (#226), Steve Reading (#322), Alan Gray (#26), Tony Bennett (#355) and even Brian Joice (#218) having a run during the season, but there was little doubt that club legend Graham Johnson (#207) and the brilliant allrounder (#399 - unnamed owing to "Sorry Business"), along with Trestrail himself, were the stars. Waratahs did lose Steve Reading on the eve of the match, promoted to play 1st grade in the wake of Wes Davis (#386) being unavailable. Their opponents, Easts, were also a battle hardened group.
Waratahs batted first and Richard Rowling soon had them 2-1, with both openers getting ducks in his first over but #399, Johnson and Trestrail rescued the side, each playing a fine innings. The 3rd wicket added 66 and the 4th 92, leaving Waratahs well placed at 4-159, however, apart from a brief resurgence while Andrew Davis (#354) was at the crease, Trestrail attacked while the rest fell. 237 was a defendable score and Trestrail batting selflessly missed his century.
Easts were never in the race to reign in Waratahs, as wickets were thrown away, with Mark Huggins (#454), Trestrail and three disasterous run outs accounting for three each. Following on, they threw the bat in order to bring themselves back with a chance: none better than Johnny Re, who really deserved three figures.
It was in the nature of Tressie's captaincy, that the runs would be chased and indeed they were, in a comfortable thirty overs, with the shot making class of #399 again on display for a good double and Merv Philp swinging with emphasis at the end. Johnson and Trestrail didn't bat. Outright victories are rare in finals matches and credit to Easts for playing the game right out and in the right spirit.
