THE SEMIS - A-Res Grade v The Armidale School 1981
Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | March 24, 2026
A-Reserves had a hard season, only showing form with the bat in the last round, with a (then) record team total against a woefully understrength St Peters. Peter Snell (#384) had starred, leading both the batting and bowling aggregates. Openers Mike Henderson (#319-pictured) and Graham Patterson (#346) had only made runs in the previous game and until Paul Brock (#391) arrived just before Christmas, it was cameos which had kept them afloat. David Tilbury (#302) and Bruce Bradley (#385) soldiered on, but A-Res rarely collapsed batting line ups.
It was Henderson who rose to the task with a near half century as Butch Giltinan reduced Waratahs to 5-41. Mark O'Shea (#369) stopped the rot for a while but when Henderson left, Giltinan struck twice again. Shane Cridland (#379) and Tilbury hung in with O'Shea and Waratahs managed to get a total to bowl at.
Bradley and Tilbury got early wickets and then surprisingly, Patterson was preferred to Snell but it paid dividends with two more wickets. Bill Trestrail and then Dick Hodgson pushed back and from 5-39 they added 56 which was drawing TAS back into the game. Bradley returned after a short spell, removed Hodgson and then when Snell was finally introduced after Patterson had bowled 14 overs. He removed the danger man Trestrail and then immediately gave way to Tilbury and Bradley to finish things off for a narrow win.
