Moama continues to stay in the hunt for a first-place finish after a comfortable 45-run win at Colbinabbin.
The visitors batted first, making a shaky start as three wickets fell in the first eight overs.
Colbo bowlers Grant Fuller (4-36) and skipper Hamish Hooppell (3-18) were dominant with ball in hand, ripping through Moama’s middle order.
Archie Teasdale’s knock of 38 off 41 balls later proved key to the Mowers’ victory.
Chasing 93 runs to win, the host fell well short, as Geordie Teasdale (3-13) and Kirk Teasdale (3-3) led the way for Moama, ensuring Colbinabbin was all dismissed for a lowly 47 after just 19 overs.
Meanwhile, although Elmore’s hopes of finishing first are faint, a six-wicket win over Rushworth ensured the Redbacks will play finals.
The Tigers batted first, posting a solid score of 149, with Liam Francis making 37 and Bradie Chillingsworth chipping in with 28.
Despite making an early breakthrough in the fourth over, Rushworth’s attack couldn’t stop Elmore’s James Harney, who powered the Redbacks to victory with a terrific knock of 70 off 68 balls.
Harney punctuated his innings with seven fours and two sixes as Elmore sealed the win at the end of the 28th over.
In Bamawm, Kyabram looms as a potential semi-final opponent for Elmore, with the Flames remaining first after a four-wicket win over BLU.
Bowling first, Kyabram’s attack proved too difficult to handle for BLU, who struggled to score and saw five batters dismissed for ducks.
Flames captain Rikki Busch recorded match-best figures of 4-17 as BLU set a total of 97 to chase.
Opener Jeff Turpin led the way in the Kyabram innings, posting 48 not out as Kyabram secured victory in the 27th over.
Bill Williams Murray B-grade shield
Rochester’s total of 182 proved too much for Moama, as Rochy cruised to a 45-run victory.
Opener Donald Young powered the innings with a half-century, scoring 53 off 83 balls.
He was supported by Matthew Harrington, who posted 41 off just 35 balls, which included seven fours in an aggressive batting display.
While runs came freely for visiting Rochester, the Mowers did not have the same success, despite the best efforts of Charles Connors.
He was Moama’s top scorer with 41 off 61 balls, but a well-balanced bowling effort, led by Alice Caldow (3-27) got the job done and edged Rochy closer to securing a home semi-final.
Gus Underwood C-grade shield
Echuca had no trouble hunting down the 126 all out set by Rochester, reaching the target with seven wickets in hand.
Jaye Caldwell led a lethal Echuca attack, taking 3-14, while Jaxon Hogan and Lachlan Farley both logged efficient 2-3 spells.
Leigh Hartshorne was the shining light for Rochester, making 58 from 47 at the top of the order, while a pair of unbeaten 34s from Shaun Fitzgerald and Daryl McLean finished off the Echuca chase.
Stanhope crawled its way to 9-81 off the full 40 overs, Bamawm-Lockington United chasing the target down in half that time.
Jason Turner (3-5) and Isaiah Flett (3-12) starred in a miserly BLU bowling effort, before Nathan Neville (26 not out) and Royce Serpell (24 not out) showed steady nerves to get their side home.
Peter Raglus D-grade shield
BLU had too much batting for Murchison, chasing down 125 in 27.3 overs and with six wickets in hand.
Nigel Riordan snagged 3-17 in the Lions’ bowling effort, before a pair of 50 retireds from Gregory Pearse (53) and Edward Brentall (50) accounted for the vast majority of the target.
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