PRELIMINARY FINALS - 1st Grade v Easts 1992
Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | March 23, 2026
Two old foes from the 1980’s both had very different looks in the early 1990’s. Easts only had two remnants from their great sides – Michael Porter and Neil Baillie – and Waratahs had only one – James Campbell (#382). Waratahs, still smarting from the shock loss to TAS in the previous season’s decider, were looking to play in their third consecutive 1st grade Final, journeying there via the long route from 4th. Their batting had been thin, only passing 200 twice in the season and even Stu MacFarlan (#606) bought back to mere mortal status. Their five main bowlers had all bowled well over a hundred overs to capture 88 wickets between them.
Waratahs bowled well, restricting Easts to 178 and cutting short promising innings from the accomplished Alex Thomas and Nick Piggott and then regaining control when Easts middle order recovered. Daniel Ryan (#514) starred with the ball, now a matured and useful medium pacer now he had attained his adult height. He gave nothing away in fifteen tight overs and ripped through Easts batting.
With a very gettable total to chase, the win required runs from the top four which never came. Steve White was dynamic behind the stumps, keeping the Waratahs batsmen under pressure and the three Easts quicks were relentless. Neil “Nobby” Baillie, a long time tormentor of Waratahs batting line ups, removed James Campbell early, then blew the tail away in quick order. Paul Melville (#556) played the only innings of substance. The allrounders failed to produce with the bat and Peter Evans (#532) and Ian Munday (#595), both previous run makers in the grades below, were embarrassed by Baillie’s class.
Leg spinner Mark Charter (#515), with more than a hundred overs in the season and a pfeiffer among his wickets since Christmas, bowled just three overs in Easts innings.
This was the last game Waratahs were competitive in the top grade. They would win only five games in the next two seasons and were then dropped from 1st grade for the first time since 1952. They would have two further seasons in 1st grade later in the 1990’s and then disappear for good.
Waratahs v Easts – 1st Grade, Preliminary Final, 21st & 22nd March 1992
