Soaring Saunders: Moama's Matt Saunders jumps into his bowling action. Photos: Steve Huntley
Photo by
Steve Huntley
Matt Saunders led the charge in Moama's pursuit of an emphatic outright win over top-four rival Nondies-Cohuna on Saturday, pouching maximum points to leap to the top of the McMahon Shield ladder.
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Beginning the day’s play with a declaration at 2-229 after 37 overs on day one, Moama’s bowlers were clinical once again after bundling out Nondies for 108 in the first innings.
This time it was Matt Saunders who was the pick of the attack, snaring 5-18 off 13.3 overs to bring his tally to 15 for the season.
It was Saunders’ second haul of five or more wickets this season and included in his list of scalps was Nondies top-scorer Will Wade after a defiant 77.
Got him: Anthony McMahon celebrates the wicket of Sam O’Shea.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
Jordan McGregor backed up his day one hat-trick heroics with 2-28 and Clay McGregor snatched 2-25 in a dominant display with the ball.
In the end, Wade accounted for more than half of Nondies-Cohuna’s second-innings total of 140 after 59 overs.
Alex Thornhill (26) and Peter Moore (14) chipped in, but at the close of the innings, the outright result was inevitable with Moama requiring just 19 runs.
Russell Stockdale (16 not out) and Moama skipper Anthony McMahon (four not out) had no issues, navigating the chase in just two overs.
The result comes after a dramatic day one at Moama Recreation Reserve that saw the home side pick up a quick-fire first-innings win on the back of Stockdale’s 120 runs and three wickets.
Tracking the ball: Nondies-Cohuna batsman Alex Thornhill plays through the point quadrant.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
Stockdale combined with Kirk Teasdale (50 not out) to compile a first-innings partnership of 156 runs, a pivotal one to set up the outright win.
Moama has now rocketed to the top of the McMahon Shield ladder, sitting six points clear of Echuca.
Moama hosts the reigning premier in the penultimate round of the home-and-away season and if Anthony McMahon’s side can topple the might of the men in green, it will secure a first-place finish and home semi-final.
Nondies-Cohuna is now teetering inside the McMahon Shield top four, tied on 78 premiership points with Bamawm-Lockington United and just six ahead of Kyabram Fire Brigade.
The round 13 clash against Leitchville-Gunbower now looms as a crucial fixture for Nondies if it wishes to stay afloat in the top four.
The game
Moama 2/229dec (R. Stockdale 120, K. Teasdale 50*, F. Buchanan 34*) and 0-20 d Nondies Cohuna 108 (W. Wade 34, J. McGregor 3-5, R. Stockdale 3-33, A.X. McMahon 2-22) and 140 (W. Wade 77, A. Thornhill 26, M. Saunders 5-18, C. McGregor 2-25, J. McGregor 2-28)
