THE FINALS - 3rd Grade v Ex-Services, 21st/22nd March 1992
Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | April 08, 2026
Waratahs had begun the struggle that would see them take the next fifteen years to die as a cricket playing entity and had dropped a team from the roster. With no 2nd grade team but lots of youngsters still to foster, their 3rd Grade side was also the only venue for calibre players such as Bede Ryan (#503) and Graham Frost (#333) and although much of their success can be credited to a particularly heavy season with the bat by Ryan, there were plenty of other contributions.
It should also be pointed out that Ryan was no spring chicken by this stage and his sole intent was to develop players for first grade and rebuild a second grade side. However, five centuries and over 900 runs - the highest season tally in any grade by a Waratahs player - certainly were a great advantage for the side.
There were lots of strong batting performances in the season, with important innings played by Chris Duncan (#609), Ian Munday (#595), Frost, Martin Hadfield (#545), Paul Melville (#556) and of course a freakish input from Shamus Robertson (#629), whose only appearance saw him take 7-29 on the first week against YCW and score 160 on the second. The bowling was considerably thinner, with veteran offie Roger Roan (#176) and medium pacer Norman Schwarz (#569) the only bowlers to take more than twenty wickets, both with 23 each.
The semi-final defeat of Ex-Services was efficient, Duncan’s innings being the deciding factor and Roan’s pfeiifer in the face of a fine Robert Pollard ton giving Waratahs a much tougher workout than they might have imagined.
The Final, however, was anything but. Waratahs made more than plenty batting first, Ryan making 131 batting first wicket down and adding 146 for the 2nd wicket with Ben Fisher (#613). Fisher left, Ryan was run out and Mark Tanner (#573) bowled, all within four overs but the mini collapse was turned back by two highly experienced and very skilled batsmen, Frost and Roan, who killed off any aspirations Ex-Services may have had with a partnership of 120 for the 4th wicket. Jason Fittler (#564) then had a hit out as the last of the overs dwindled.
Facing the impossible, Ex-Services could do little but attack. Dean Widders made a strong half century but the rest withered even as their first shots budded. Rob dela Motte (#608) and David Perram (#567) took out the top order and Schwarz and Roan finished the bottom. It was a clinical, highly satisfying thrashing.
Waratahs v Ex-Services - 3rd Grade Final, 28th/29th March 1992
