THE FINALS - 3rd Grade v Churches, 28th/29th March 1998
Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | April 09, 2026
Two weeks earlier than the Final, Waratahs had been given a thrashing by the Minor Premiers, Churches, whose leading player, Skinner had not only made a free flowing 140 but then took 7-27, destroying Waratahs for just 90. They had been 4-5 at stumps on the Saturday and then 7-7 two overs into the Sunday. David Dunlop’s (#757) unbeaten 36 at least got them close to three figures.
The Preliminary Final against Hillgrove Colts also had its tenuous moments. If it had not been for a strong Gavin Finlayson (#516-pictured) double and quality new ball bowling from Ian Ellis (#733) - both of them backed up by the allrounder Grant Harlow (#721) - Waratahs would have exited, stage right.
As it was, they had to find something they didn’t have in two encounters with Churches that season - runs. Churches had won their other encounter, back in November, outright after Waratahs made only 42 in their first innings.
Churches won the toss and not surprisingly, sent Waratahs in and whilst 3-53 was an improved start, especially since Skinner had made no impact despite a long opening spell. David Norman (#407), a 1st grader fifteen years earlier, then applied all his experience to play his best hand of the season as Finlayson again rose to the big occasion. At first they denied Churches and as the afternoon went on, they flourished, Magill finally removing Norman one short of what was a well deserved half century after they had added 92. Finlayson unleashed his best stroke plate with the tail and Waratahs had shifted the momentum with their best score of the season against the powerful Churches batting line up.
Harlow sent shock waves through Churches early, removing the semi-final hero Skinner in his second over and Steel next ball, while Scott Miller (#714) trapped Rajan in front with his first over replacing Ellis. Churches dropped anchor. Ellis returned, drying up on end and the spin of Norman took over from Harlow. When McClenaghan lost his nerve after a long time over not many, Warden put his head down too. Churches had decided that defending their way to a Premiership was the easier path and that was their fatal mistake. The bowlers were switched around with immunity, the batsmen showing no interest.
It was Harlow’s return which broke the contest open, removing top scorer Grant with a yorker he played back to and then Wilkinson soon after. Norman claimed another at the end of his spell, only for Ellis to come back for yet another crack, this time at the tail. He and inevitably Harlow finished it, with the latter picking up a splendid pfeiffer.
Waratahs bowled well but Churches were their own worst enemy, forgetting what had got them to the Final and playing an unfamiliar, negative game and in the end, finishing a long way short.
Ellis had a splendid season, with 407 runs and 35 wickets. Finlayson made his runs when they mattered most, with 177 at nearly ninety in the final series after a duck in the semi. Harlow and Norman put in solid allround performances, the former with 44 wickets, the most ever in 3rd Grade.
One last notable event from the 3rd grade season was the final innings of club legend Andrew Davis (#354), who made 37 in a one off effort in January.
Waratahs v Churches - 3rd Grade Final, 28th/29th March, 1998
