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THE FINALS - 1st Grade v Ex-Services, 31st March & 1st April 1990

Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | April 13, 2026

Waratahs went into the Final as read hot favourites, having lost only one game during the season and that being the first game … lost, however, it was to Ex-Services. Their semi-final win over Hillgrove Colts had been a nail-biter but they had the season’s inform batting line up - Stu MacFarlan (#606) 474 @ 94.8, the recently returned Michael Connolly (#293) 238 @ 79.3 and seven other batsmen averaging over 25. MacFarlan and Connolly both had two hundreds and Mark Dymock (#523) one in 1sts and three others in the lower grades before his elevation in December. They also had the ADCA’s leading wicket taker, Phil Melville (#542), who had taken 53 wickets @ 7.7, taking the best innings figures ever by a Waratahs bowler in 1st grade with 9-14 v Uralla and becoming the first to take fifty or more in a season for twenty seasons.

Ex-Services were the next best side, without doubt but there was a gap between them that looked hard for Ex-Services to bridge.

Before the rain came and washed the game out completely, that gap was obvious, with the Waratahs bowlers in control of the game and all of the Ex-Services guns holstered with little more than a pop.

Waratahs were declared winners on April Fools Day, because of their superior position on the competition table as Minor Premiers.

Waratahs v Ex-Services - 1st Grade Final, 31st March & 1st April 1990

TEAM: (back left to right) Paul Dowling, Graham Frost, Mark Dymock, Peter Murphy, Stu MacFarlan, Michael Connolly, Daniel Ryan.

(front) Peter McClenaghan, Phil Melville, Gary Clarke, Bede Ryan, Graham Johnson.


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Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs)

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Waratahs CC of Armidale; The Tahs Inc
www.thetahs.com.au
Armidale, Australia
0438028917
The history of a proud club which grew men from boys through the simple act of trusting them with something very precious.

Favourite players: Life members: Alan Gray, Harry Deiderick, Graham Johnson, Ian Campbell, Syd Philp, Graham Patterson, Albert Hofkamp & Peter Langston.

Favourite grounds: Wicklow Oval (Rologas Fields), Harris Park, West Armidale Park (Lambert Park), The Armidale Sportsground

All-time cricket hero: Any bloke in the Royal Blue cap.

Favourite bat: The one that scored the most.

Most memorable moment in cricket:
1952-53 A grade Final, beating Easts 2 outright after our worst A/1st grade total in the sixty year history of the club. Beat the very strong Uralla in the last round to just scrape into the semis and then Easts 1 in the Semi. Played one player short on the first day after a mix up with team sheets and made 163 in the sunshine, Ross Ridley 59. Easts 0-57 at stumps after four dropped catches. Didn't play the second day for two weeks because of the Armidale Show and then after four days of heavy rain. Wicket now a sticky and impossible to bat on. Easts all out for 95, Don Paul 6-24. Batting a second time, Waratahs still one short and Ridley now out injured, all out for 21. Easts needing 90 don't make it to halfway, all out for 43, Don Paul 7-20. Waratahs win their first premiership in only their third season.

What’s the best cricket advice you’ve ever received:
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