NOTABLE GAINS: John Richardson
NOTABLE LOSSES: Fred Skillicorn & Bob Howe
Changes to personnel and persistent rain played a big hand in a much weaker showing by Waratahs in the two competitions. Even though Don Paul played more games than in the previous season, Waratahs lost skipper and star allrounder Fred Skillicorn. A brilliant tennis player, he was lost to court room dramas rather than to another cricket opponent. Although Ross Ridley kept well, his batting was a shadow of former seasons. The same could be said of Laurie Cooper who had his
NOTABLE LOSSES: Fred Skillicorn & Bob Howe
Changes to personnel and persistent rain played a big hand in a much weaker showing by Waratahs in the two competitions. Even though Don Paul played more games than in the previous season, Waratahs lost skipper and star allrounder Fred Skillicorn. A brilliant tennis player, he was lost to court room dramas rather than to another cricket opponent. Although Ross Ridley kept well, his batting was a shadow of former seasons. The same could be said of Laurie Cooper who had his
Photo courtesy of Milton Milligan
worst season with the bat. As a result, there were hardly ever enough runs to play with.
Rain affected four of the five games in the opening competition. Wests scored 210 on the first Saturday but a sticky West Armidale Park on day two restricted Waratahs to 60. They gave up another 200 plus score against University and were in trouble in reply when the second day was lost. There were no excuses when TAS used homeground advantage to rout them twice (117 & 81) and knocked up the winning runs with eight wickets to spare. Ross Ridley's second innings 39 was his season best, as a young student called Terry Mackenzie took 5-28. At DLSC, 117 was enough to get first innings points against DLSC's 43 and 5-57 but another rain lost second day probably cost outright points. In the last game against TAS, the first day was again abandoned to rain, so an all day game was played. Despite Vic Snell's 7-28 in TAS's first innings 59 time prevented anything more than a first innings victory.
The second, longer comp started well with a near outright against Wests on the home ground they shared opposite the hospital. Ian Hodge led the way with 48 in a rare outing in a total 234. On the second day, time ran out with 14 required for the outright and eight wickets in hand. This was followed by a rare outright win against Easts as Vic Snell and Beau Richardson shared the wickets in a low scoring event at the Sportsground. It was rain again at Uralla but the home side was well in control after Walter Taylor made 86 and draw points a good result in a lucky escape. Fine weather finally arrived and the match against Wests at West Armidale Park was a high scoring affair with Wests getting a first innings decision. Deep into the second day, a generous declaration by a Wests skipper gambling for points allowed Waratahs, led by Alan Gray and R Gustard, to chase hard but finish heart breakingly four runs from outright points with only four wickets down. February finished with Waratahs leading the comp after a thumping outright win against DLSC in which they passed 250 for the only time of the season. Gustard (52), Paul (46x) and Gray (40) dominated and Paul took 5-47 in DLSC's first innings of 90.
With a premiership beckoning, weather and poor form set in. In another rain affected match at West Armidale Park restricted to one day because of the Armidale Show, Easts were rolled for only 65, Don Paul (5-33) and Milton Milligan (3-5) the stars. In reply, Waratahs could only muster 52, with a future Waratahs hero called Norm Buckley taking 7-25. Easts, along with Uralla, who had thumped DLSC, were back in the title hunt.
The second last game against TAS should have been a certain outright. The school was struggling to fill it's team and after the first day's play, Waratahs were on target after scoring 148 (Milligan 52, Paul 30) and having TAS 8-52 but on the second day, despite having a full strength bowling line up, Waratahs were unable to dismiss a stubborn tail until late in the day and at one stage, first innings points looked in danger. Meanwhile, Easts won outright and Uralla on the first innings.
The last round started with Waratahs (36) leading the chase to the premiership but with Uralla (34) and Easts (34) in hot pursuit. Easts would play TAS and Waratahs would play Uralla. At West Armidale, Uralla's Barnden took 4-23 and Tricket 3-28 as Waratahs collapsed for 78 and with no excuses as the wicket was dry and the weather fine. The Uralla reply was kept to 139, mainly thanks to Vic Snell (4-48) and Don Paul (3-36) and needing runs the second time round, Waratahs was 1-3 and Uralla had passed them on the table. Easts made 174 and had TAS 4-12. With one day left for play, there was still hope.
It poured on the last day of the season and Uralla were the Premiers.
Don Paul finished with all the end of season trophies, scoring 256 runs at 32.00 and taking 38 wickets at 10.37. Runs were in short supply all season and only R Gustard 249 (19.15), Alan Gray 232 (13.65) and Milton Milligan 225 (18.75) also exceeded two hundred runs. Vic Snell with (34 at 11.94) was the other stand out bowler but Laurie Cooper (18 at 13.72), Milton Milligan (18 at 11.78) and Beau Richardson (19 at 18.63) all had their moments. Despite a miserable year with the bat, Ross Ridley took 21 dissmissals behind the wicket.
Rain affected four of the five games in the opening competition. Wests scored 210 on the first Saturday but a sticky West Armidale Park on day two restricted Waratahs to 60. They gave up another 200 plus score against University and were in trouble in reply when the second day was lost. There were no excuses when TAS used homeground advantage to rout them twice (117 & 81) and knocked up the winning runs with eight wickets to spare. Ross Ridley's second innings 39 was his season best, as a young student called Terry Mackenzie took 5-28. At DLSC, 117 was enough to get first innings points against DLSC's 43 and 5-57 but another rain lost second day probably cost outright points. In the last game against TAS, the first day was again abandoned to rain, so an all day game was played. Despite Vic Snell's 7-28 in TAS's first innings 59 time prevented anything more than a first innings victory.
The second, longer comp started well with a near outright against Wests on the home ground they shared opposite the hospital. Ian Hodge led the way with 48 in a rare outing in a total 234. On the second day, time ran out with 14 required for the outright and eight wickets in hand. This was followed by a rare outright win against Easts as Vic Snell and Beau Richardson shared the wickets in a low scoring event at the Sportsground. It was rain again at Uralla but the home side was well in control after Walter Taylor made 86 and draw points a good result in a lucky escape. Fine weather finally arrived and the match against Wests at West Armidale Park was a high scoring affair with Wests getting a first innings decision. Deep into the second day, a generous declaration by a Wests skipper gambling for points allowed Waratahs, led by Alan Gray and R Gustard, to chase hard but finish heart breakingly four runs from outright points with only four wickets down. February finished with Waratahs leading the comp after a thumping outright win against DLSC in which they passed 250 for the only time of the season. Gustard (52), Paul (46x) and Gray (40) dominated and Paul took 5-47 in DLSC's first innings of 90.
With a premiership beckoning, weather and poor form set in. In another rain affected match at West Armidale Park restricted to one day because of the Armidale Show, Easts were rolled for only 65, Don Paul (5-33) and Milton Milligan (3-5) the stars. In reply, Waratahs could only muster 52, with a future Waratahs hero called Norm Buckley taking 7-25. Easts, along with Uralla, who had thumped DLSC, were back in the title hunt.
The second last game against TAS should have been a certain outright. The school was struggling to fill it's team and after the first day's play, Waratahs were on target after scoring 148 (Milligan 52, Paul 30) and having TAS 8-52 but on the second day, despite having a full strength bowling line up, Waratahs were unable to dismiss a stubborn tail until late in the day and at one stage, first innings points looked in danger. Meanwhile, Easts won outright and Uralla on the first innings.
The last round started with Waratahs (36) leading the chase to the premiership but with Uralla (34) and Easts (34) in hot pursuit. Easts would play TAS and Waratahs would play Uralla. At West Armidale, Uralla's Barnden took 4-23 and Tricket 3-28 as Waratahs collapsed for 78 and with no excuses as the wicket was dry and the weather fine. The Uralla reply was kept to 139, mainly thanks to Vic Snell (4-48) and Don Paul (3-36) and needing runs the second time round, Waratahs was 1-3 and Uralla had passed them on the table. Easts made 174 and had TAS 4-12. With one day left for play, there was still hope.
It poured on the last day of the season and Uralla were the Premiers.
Don Paul finished with all the end of season trophies, scoring 256 runs at 32.00 and taking 38 wickets at 10.37. Runs were in short supply all season and only R Gustard 249 (19.15), Alan Gray 232 (13.65) and Milton Milligan 225 (18.75) also exceeded two hundred runs. Vic Snell with (34 at 11.94) was the other stand out bowler but Laurie Cooper (18 at 13.72), Milton Milligan (18 at 11.78) and Beau Richardson (19 at 18.63) all had their moments. Despite a miserable year with the bat, Ross Ridley took 21 dissmissals behind the wicket.
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