PRELIMINARY FINALS – 3rd Grade v Hillgrove Colts 1998
Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | March 23, 2026
Having been the Minor Premiers humbled by Churches in the Minor Semi the week before, Waratahs needed a major return to form against Hillgrove.
Its certainly didn’t look like that was happening on the first day, with 3rds reduced to 5-41by Lowe and a needless runout to David Dunlop (#757). It was at this low point that Grant Harlow (#721) and the experienced Gavin Finlayson (#516) buckled down to the task of trying to give Waratahs bowlers something to work with. Their partnership of 74 and Finlayson’s batting with the tail managed to restore hope.
Harlow was at it again with the ball. He and his new ball partner Ian Ellis (#733) tore Hillgrove to shreds, with Ellis grabbing five as only Jackson looked likely and Lowe the only other batsman to make double figures.
Waratahs crashed again in the second innings and but for Finlayson’s patient red ink, Hillgrove would have been back in the game. Ellis picked up three more wickets in Hillgrove’s mad attempt to flog their way into the Grand Final but he and Harlow always had things well under control.
