THE FINALS - A Grade v Unicorns 1974
Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | April 03, 2026
THE FINALS - A Grade v Unicorns, 23rd & 24th March 1974
After narrowly losing the One Day comp to Easts back at the end of November, when John Donnelly (#231) and Merv Philp (#268) so nearly bowled Waratahs to a victory defending a small target, Waratahs were determined to get runs on the board at Lambert Park for the Final.
Their skipper, Allan Thompson (#238) and the firmly established Graham Johnson (#207) had been in fine form, both with more than 400 runs for the season, but no centuries. In fact Brian Connolly’s (#226) 104 against Easts, the week before, had been the only Waratahs century of the season. Connolly and Alan Gray (#26), both with more than 300 runs, were the other consistent batsmen. Donnelly, with 40 wickets, supported by Brian Joice (#218), Philp and David Lynch (#249) all with more than 20, were the varied four pronged main attack.
For their part, Unicorns, the elite team of the University of New England, with their multiple representatives in the New England side, had been strong all season, particularly with the bat, but Waratahs bowlers had contained them to a best of 126 in their two games.
Waratahs lost the toss and lost Connolly and Graeme Walker (#61) quickly while Gregory drew life from the pitch, both of them caught by Unicorns skipper Powell at slip. Opener Terry Betts (#205-pictured), playing his best innings of the season, shared a 94 run partnership with Walker before becoming Gregory’s third victim. The pitch had settled into a perfect batting strip and only the last two failed to make a start, in a very deep Waratahs batting line up. 270 was a highly competitive score but no one went on to the big score they should have and perhaps a higher total had been thrown away. Wynn was outstanding with his off spinners, taking 6-80, stopping Thompson and Gray when they were in their stride and then restricting the rest.
Powell and Wynn opened for Unicorns on the Sunday morning adding 62 for the first wicket in an hour until Donnelly removed Powell at the end of his first spell, just before drinks. The arrival of Don Beer gave no more succour for the Waratahs bowlers and even though six were tried, Wynn and Beer were untroubled until after tea. Both were dropped off Philp, before Wynn, after a sizzling four dancing down the wicket to raise his century, was stumped next ball by Betts trying to repeat the dose. Beer and Smith were run out as time appeared likely to beat the Unicorns, but a strategic stroke play from O’Neill and Stephenson’s solid defence denied Waratahs.
Waratahs v Unicorns - A Grade Final, 23rd & 24th March 1974
