THE SEMIS - 1st Grade v Hillgrove 1984
Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | March 21, 2026
Waratahs had hit the end of season games with a 6-2 win ratio, with Graham Frost (#333) and Roger Sattler (#378) at the peak of their batting form and Tim Mulddon (#296) having a good run since Christmas. There were two blows right on the door step of the semi final: they had lost badly to Hillgrove in the last round and their very savvy and experienced skipper, Wes Davis (#386) was out for the remaining games, injured.
New skipper Muldoon won the toss and batted and with a deep batting line up which included James Campbell (#382) at eight, hopes were high for a big total and after Frost and Greg Johnson (#352) gave them a solid start, the reason to change that thinking didn't seem apparent ... until Peter Hickey picked up Johnson and Muldoon in successive balls and Sattler holed out to Geoff Wood. At the other end, Gavin Gillard had become impossible to get off the square. Wickets kept tumbling, with Woody taking five and 'Groves keeper Michael O'Neill playing a pivotal role. Only Christian Quaife (#372) stood firm and managed to add 41 for the last two wickets. Those two partnerships would prove crucial.
Steve Reading (#322), replacing Davis and playing his first game in 1st grade for four years, removed the two guns, Wood and Peter Schaefer, keeper Carl Bridge grabbed three dismissals, James Campbell three catches and a team bowling effort managed to halt Hillgrove just short of the win. Waratahs gave a shakey 2nd innings display but HIllgrove were out of time. Wood finished with 9 wickets, in one of those rare events when he took more wickets than scored runs.
Waratahs v Hillgrove - 1st Grade, 1984
