1973-74: A Grade Runners Up in One Day & Two Day Comp

Notable Gains: Merv & Syd Philp
Notable Losses: Owen Holstein, John Roberts & Terry Mackenzie

The club grew slightly, with 48 players registered to fill three teams each week. Owen Holstein was the only loss to the A Grade side but the movement of the Philp brothers across from Churches more than made up for it. Merv was to be handy left arm spinner and a powerful batsman in the lower order of the top two teams for many years to come and Syd was a stalwart of B and 4th Grade teams for the next twenty years. Ian Campbell bought his leadership to the Presidency and the club won the Club Championship despite failing to win a premiership. It was also the first season Waratahs had accepted sponsorship, playing as Waratahs-City Bowling Club and being based at the Armidale City Bowling Club on Dumaresq St. The presentation night was the first at which ladies had been invited to attend.

A Grade

The A Grade side was a solid unit, with variation in the bowling and depth in the batting and good reserves to call. Despite this, it was a disappointing season, making the final in both competitions and losing. The one day campaign had six wins from eight preliminary games. St Peters were crushed, with Graham Johnson top scoring and the veteran Allan Gray, Allan Thompson and Brian Connolly all contributing. John Donnelly (6-17) and Merv Philp (4-15) were far too good for St Peters. Unicorns were beaten by nine wicket, David Lynch and Donnelly rolling them for 126 and Allan Gray making an unbeaten half century in the chase. It was Lynch again, this time with six wickets against Wright, leaving Connolly and the inform Ian Campbell to knock of the smallish total. Don Foster and a teenage Mike Porter ripped Waratahs out cheaply and Easts made light of the chase. Graeme Walker, up from B Grade, shared top score with Lynch against the Teachers College, with Waratahs bowling to tight for the students to escape with a victory despite retaining the bulk of their wickets. Another batting collapse against Page cost them the game, despite having Page seven down. Old rivals Ex Services were crushed when Brian Joice and John Donnelly rolled them cheaply and then Terry Betts was the best of the batsmen in a four wicket win. In the last game before the final, Graham Johnson made a sparkling, aggressive 87 and Allan Thompson led a band of others who all kicked in their share. It was far too many for TAS.

The final, against Easts at the end of November was another example of brittle batting in a final, with only Walker playing an innings of any note and it was Mick Porter and Foster who again did the damage. Chasing only 79, Easts were made to fight by Donnelly and Philp but thanks to very young Rick Porter, Easts won by two wickets.

The wicket was in a terrible state for the first day of the start of the second comp. Waratahs were rolled for 52 and Unicorns declared eight down with a lead of thirty. Waratahs were four down cheaply by stumps. The following Saturday, Graham Johnson and Allan Thompson made stylish fifties and added a century partnership before the declaration. Unicorns lost half their side before the end. Revenge for the one day final was exacted when Merv Philp (5-48) was too good for an Easts side which now included Brain Mair. Bruce Mathieson's not out half century sealed a comfortable win. Ex Services were given their second flogging of the year, with Joice (5-14) and Donnelly (4-18) again the destroyers as Waratahs won by four wickets. A rain affected game against Unicorns ended in a draw with Graeme Walker (54) top scoring. Donnelly tore through Ex Services for a third time in the season, this time taking a career best 7-37. Another half century for Johnson before the close but not enough time was left for the outright. A classic game against Unicorns followed at the start of March. Unicorns knocked up over two hundred on the first day thanks mainly to Peter Wynn (55). Waratahs batted all day with the two Allans (Thompson and Gray) the top scorers but everyone contributing and won by two wickets in the last over. Wynn took six of the eight wickets. Easts were ground into the dust in the last game before the final, out for less than 100 thanks to Brian Joice (9-46), his best figures for the club. Brian Connolly (104x) made his first Waratahs century on the second week.

The final against Unicorns was heart breaking. Batting first after the Unicorns captain Roy Powell sent them in, Waratahs (270) made enough to win two matches and in doing so made their highest total of the season. It had been difficult early but opener Terry Betts played through the worst of the conditions to top score. Thompson, Gray and Mathieson led the rest who all made their share. Wynn again took six wickets. On the Sunday, with such a large total to defend but the wicket good for batting, Powell and Wynn started with 62 before Donnelly accepted a return catch from Powell. Don Beer settled in for the afternoon and he and Wynn all but took the game away from Waratahs with a partnership of 156. Both offered two chances late in their innings but Waratahs failed to capitalise. Once Wynn was stumped by Betts from Philp's bowling and Beer run out, a suggestion of panic started to set in the Unicorns camp. John O'Neill and Nick Stephenson eventually saw them home by six wickets with four overs to spare.

Allan Thompson (455) and Graham Johnson (430 at 35.83) won the batting awards, closely followed Brian Connolly (347) and Allan Gray (314). John Donnelly (40) was the leading wicket taker and Brian Joice (29 and 10.58) had the best bowling average. Merv Philp (27) and David Lynch (22) were also amongst the wickets. John Donnelly and Terry Betts each took nine catches.

A-Reserve Grade

There are very few details of matches for the Reserves as the Armidale Express didn't publish many of their results. Cliff Schaeffer captained a side which suffered from never being settled thanks to injuries and other unavailability. Six or seven of their number each played several games in A grade, including Ian Campbell and the skipper.

E Ross (322) was the leading run scorer and Ian Campbell (239 at 29.87) had the best batting average. Mark Rummery (300) made the transition from B Grade, playing in every game. Cliff Schaeffer (206) would probably have wanted more runs from his own blade. E Ross (20 at 18.8) was the only bowler to qualify for the bowling trophies.

B Grade

Again, a lack of published results make it hard to comment on the season but the side just missed a place in the two day final. The skipper and veteran Allan Smith (415 at 27.67) scored far and away the most runs at the best average but Bill Kempster (269), John Paterson (246) and Tony Buxton (245) also had good seasons with the bat. In March, G Lowrie (108x v St Peters) scored the first B Grade century for ten years. Allan Smith (43) took the most wickets but John Russell (26 at 7.2) had the best average. G Martin (36) and John Paterson (23) also prodigious seasons with the ball.