THE FINALS - 2nd Grade 1986
Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | March 27, 2026
After dominating their semi-final against Churches, Waratahs had to take on Minor Premiers Easts in the Final. They were a win each in the longer games of the regular season, with the last meeting just a month earlier being a high scoring first innings loss to the men in the Royal Blue caps. Waratahs had really suffered from comings and going during the season with 31 players used during the season. Skipper Graham Johnson (#207) had again dominated with the bat with more than 500 runs @ 57 and although young opener Greg Howarth (#493) had improved as the season wore on, seven different combinations were tried as openers before at least Howarth was cemented in place at the start of February. The middle order was never settled and thirteen players had batted there by the time the Final was reached. To make matters worse for the Final, their best middle order performers were unavailable owing to:
- Andrew Davis (#254) and Peter Tyndall (#423) chosen to cover injuries in 1st Grade
- Bede Ryan (#503) being promoted to 1st grade after successive fifties in January
- An injury to Mark Hemmy (#501)
- Peter Langston (#357) not selected for 1sts but had played too many games there to play for 2nds.
Their bowling had not often cut sids down, with no one taking more than David Tilbury’s (#302) 19 wickets.
Easts, on the other hand, bristled with batting and had a varied and penetrative bowling attack. There was no doubt the Daffodils were favourites.
Waratahs batted first and the top four all made starts and encouraging partnerships but no one went big. When Johnson was fooled by leggie Peter McClenaghan and then Alec Finlayson (#340) by Moore, suddenly things looked insecure at 4-102. Two unnecessary run outs to players looking set, another McClenaghan deception job on the always dangerous Merv Philp (#268) and the edge of Andrew Hutchinson’s (#477) bat and 9-161 was nowhere near enough to bother Easts deep batting group.
Through it all, Matt Campbell (#363) had played straight and strong, containing himself and refusing to budge. Out came last man Tilbury and with a combination of luck, suicidal calls and wild swings from him, Campbell steered the ship, bailed like crazy and got it to slightly safer waters with a partnership of 58. A mood shift was underway thanks to Campbell’s unbeaten fifty..
Michael Muldoon (#192) and Tilbury gave Easts a horror start, putting their two opening guns - Lockeridge and Carrigan - back in the shed, both caught behind by Finlayson in the first five overs and then towards the end of a long opening spell from both, Dillon and the always threatening Hardman. Nick Piggott looked unmovable. Philp took over one end, removing Moore and then the always hard to dislodge McClenaghan for a duck. Piggot was still unmovable with Easts 6-75 and then teetering when Hutch removed Smith with the last ball of his ten overs. 7 down and a miracle in the making but the game turned as Baillie started hittting the ball high, wide and handsome from Philp in a partnership of 81 with the STILL unmovable Piggott.
Muldoon had returned and Philp had the satisfaction of snaring a skied ball from Baillie to have Waratahs on the brink. Piggot knew it was time and launched Muldoon high into the air to Tilbury at deep backward square only to be reprieved but keep the strike. Poor old Tilbs was inconsolable at the change of over, having a Herschelle Gibbs moment before it happened. Mick Keevers (#502), never one to die wondering, dropped the first ball of the over short again, Piggott repeated the shot and Tilbury lay under its destination, the demeanour of his captain well in mind and the weight of twenty one sets of eyes boring into him.
He held it with a crocodile catch and Waratahs had their Premiership. Whilst his team mates celebrated, Tills caught his breath, assuring all that the outcome was never in doubt.
Waratahs v Easts - 2nd Grade, 22nd & 23rd March 1986
