THE FINALS - A Grade v University, 30th March/6th April 1968
Armidale Waratahs (The Tahs) | April 14, 2026
Waratahs went into this Final with a batting line up that had taken all before it during the 1967-68 season, Bill Thompson (#185) in the best form of his Waratahs career with 653 runs @ 54, including two hundreds and two nineties. Bruce Kellaway (#213) and Graham Johnson (#207) each had more than 400 runs at healthy averages too. Tom Cooke (#197) had more than 46 wickets and Johnson 34. Their win in the semi-final against Churches had been very convincing.
University had likewise dispatched the high quality Ex-Services batting line up for just 64, with the extreme pace of Dick Stayner too much for Servies.
The Final was all over on the first day, with University already 38 runs in front with all their wickets intact, after Waratahs wilted before Stayner and skipper John Down. Johnson and Brian Joice (#218), years later, said Stayner was lightning fast on the day and the quickest either had ever faced. Waratahs were quickly 3-7, Alan Gray (#26) and Kellaway removed for ducks. Ian Campbell (#212) and Johnson added 39 for the fourth wicket, the largest stand of the very meagre team total, before Campbell was out in his favourite way, leg before wicket! Terry Betts (#205) and Greg Russell (#131) also failed to score against Stayner as the big left hander tore Waratahs batting apart. Johnson was last man out, his fine innings described by those who saw it as one of the finest batting displays against express pace ever seen in Armidale.
Beer and Dunn batted University into the lead and were there at stumps on 0-110.
The second Saturday saw Dunn dismissed in the first over from Johnson and then Tom Cooke took four quick wickets with his direct line at the stumps. There was some hope for Waratahs as University slumped to 5-125 but Roy Powell steered University to a comfortable lead, soaking up time as he batted with the tail. Cooke’s 7-58 certainly got Waratahs back into the game in the first hour but in the end, it was the failure of the batsmen on the first day that cost Waratahs the Premiership. This was only underlined by an improved second innings effort when it was all too late.
Waratahs v University - A Grade Final, 30th March/6th April 1968
