Liam Hamilton looks to hook in the GMC grand final. Photos: Jordan Townrow.
Bamawm-Lockington United had the McMahon Shield in its sights on Goulburn Murray Cricket grand final Sunday, but it was Moama which rallied to deny the Lions the crown by 60 runs.
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BLU was the only side to defeat the Mowers this season, going to Moama Recreation Reserve with confidence, and it looked to be well-founded as the Lions had Moama on the ropes in the first innings.
Prateer Mehta goes up after a BLU wicket. Photos: Jordan Townrow.
Young Mowers duo Archie Teasdale and Rhys Drennan saved the game for their side, coming together with Moama in a deep hole at 7-74 and going on to add 51 runs as a pair.
Teasdale batted on and remained the not out batter on 49 in a man-of-the-match performance as the Mowers finished the innings all out for 190.
BLU captain Regis Chakabva shares commiserations after the defeat.
The match kicked off with Moama winning the toss on its home ground and opting to bat first.
BLU struck early through Jeremy Felmingham, removing the dangerous Russell Stockdale for just six runs, but Moama went on to build a strong platform.
Archie Teasdale was man of the match after a game-saving 49 not out.
Fraser Buchanan added 21, Joel Murphy 18 and Kobyn James 22 as the Mowers advanced to 2-72.
However, the loss of Buchanan triggered a batting slump, with Braydee Hutchins claiming three consecutive scalps, including the threatening Anthony McMahon and Jack Russell, both for ducks in consecutive deliveries.
BLU was feeling good after grabbing a wicket.
When James and Matt Saunders went to Kade Pearse, Moama was running desperately short on batting at 7-94.
In the game defining moment, Drennan and Teasdale saved the innings, putting on a 51-run stand for the eighth wicket.
Braydee Hutchins led the way with three wickets for BLU.
Drennan made 23, while Teasdale stuck around with the tail to the bitter end, running out of partners one ball short of the allotted 50 overs, and one run short of his half-century.
Moama was bowled out for 190, a remarkable turnaround from its 7-94 start.
Jeremy Felmingham looks to hang on for the Lions late.
Aside from Hutchins’ and Pearse’s great spells, BLU got good production from Felmingham (2-30) and Prateer Mehta (2-34), Liam Hamilton also grabbing a wicket.
BLU struggled to get a lot going throughout the chase, a wicket falling around every 10 runs almost like clockwork over the first 25 overs.
Moama was two wickets from victory after a run-out.
The likes of captain Regis Chakabva (16) and Joel Felmingham (13) made starts, but a constant assault from Anthony McMahon and Matt Saunders kept the Lions off balance, the pair combining for five of the first six wickets.
Similarly to the Moama innings, BLU started to find some resiliency with its back against the wall.
Matt Saunders loses his pegs.
Hamilton and Noah Turner were going well at seven down, before a miscommunication on a second run saw Hamilton run out for 11.
Jeremy Felmingham (14) tried to get the scoreboard moving along with Turner, but he holed out on the boundary, leaving the Mowers a wicket from victory with BLU still needing 90 runs.
Turner marshalled the strike well, but eventually stopped protecting number 11 Hutchins in his quest for runs, with Hutchins proving himself more than capable with a solid 12 not out.
Russell Stockdale flights one down.
Turner moved on to a team-high 32 in a commendable 29-run last-wicket stand, before fielding again proved the difference, with coach Saunders throwing down the stumps on an attempted quick single to send the Mowers to the promised land.
McMahon topped the charts for Moama with 3-25, Saunders close behind with 2-14.
Clay McGregor, Russell and Stockdale also came away with wickets.
This is Moama’s first McMahon Shield since Goulburn Murray Cricket was formed for the 2012-13 season, with Rochester, Kyabram Fire Brigade and Echuca dominating the winners’ list until now.
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