The always aggressive Regis Chakabva employs the hook. Photos: Jordan Townrow.
Goulburn Murray Cricket’s annual short form competition is under way, with the opening round of fixtures played on Thursday.
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Eight of the nine McMahon Shield teams, excluding Tongala, have entered sides in the five-week competition, with three Twenty20 rounds to be played on consecutive Thursdays, followed by a semi-final and final round.
Although they did not repeat the feat in the one-day format days later, Bamawm-Lockington United earned a hard-fought seven-run win over Echuca South in round one.
Batting first, the Lions struggled to find a standout, but everybody chipped in to the 8-133 total.
Echuca South celebrates a wicket.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
James Ryan made 30 as the scoring leader, while Kyle Humphrys (22) was the best of the five other players to reach double figures.
Asantha Singappuli was the leader with the ball for the Swans, taking 3-19.
Much like he did in the team’s Saturday fixture, Rathika Rajakumara displayed good touch with the bat, making an unbeaten 50 from 41 deliveries to almost deliver his side the points.
Needing 29 from the final two overs to tie the game, Rajakumara went close to getting the job done, first hitting 12 of 13 runs scored in the penultimate over.
James Ryan was BLU’s top scorer.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Needing 16, the Swans could only add another nine in the final six balls, the deep fielders doing their job and restricting South to running four twos.
Jeremy Felmingham (2-23) and Thomas Dicker (2-24) notched almost identical figures as their side’s best with the ball.
Keiran Hogeboom lets loose.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
The close-run nature of the victory has BLU in fourth, the lowest ranked of the opening round winners.
BLU will travel to Gunbower Recreation Reserve this Thursday to battle Leitchville-Gunbower.
Rochester vs Kyabram Fire Brigade
Jesse Cuttriss got the Rochester innings alive with 38 from 44.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
After setting a modest 7-122, Rochester was run down by the Flames in about 17 overs.
Sean Williams got Rochy moving at the top of the order, making 38 from 26, while Jesse Cuttriss held the second half of the innings together with 38 from 44.
Cooper Fawcett shows safe hands in the deep.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
The Flames’ Oliver Hughes was the standout with the ball, taking 4-27.
Although Rochester took some early wickets, Bohden Learmonth and Jake Gascoyne paired up for a game-winning 78-run partnership for the third wicket.
Tim Bubb gets it away.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Learmonth went for one too many and was dismissed when Fire Brigade trailed by just three, the opener making 59 from 42 deliveries.
Gascoyne finished on 40 not out from 34 balls as Fire Brigade got home with seven wickets in hand.
Three Rochy bowlers shared the wickets, Myles Wade the most efficient with 1-7 in his single over.
Rochester visits Moama this Thursday in round two.