The final regular season round of Goulburn Murray Cricket’s Twenty20 competition was a thrilling one, as plenty of sides were still in contention to be one of the final four.
BLU v Nondies-Cohuna
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The round three clash took place at Cohuna Recreation Reserve, with the host winning the toss and electing to bowl first.
While Regis Chakabva continued to struggle for form, notching 12 in this match after falling to a caught and bowled effort by Zeb Ellwood, fellow opener Woody Wilson hit a solid 41 off 34 to get the Lions off to a good start.
First drop James Ryan was the star of the show for BLU, smashing 90 not out off 48 deliveries, striking at 187.50 in a knock that included five boundaries and six maximums.
Ellwood was the pick of the bowlers for Nondies, snaring 2-25 off his four overs as the Lions finished their 20 overs at 4-172.
In the second innings, it was an effort by committee for the host, as captain Jake Klemm (21), Elwood (20) and Callum Neil (20) all made starts but were unable to go on and make a big score as the rest of the lineup struggled.
Meanwhile, Prateer Mehta once again delivered with the ball, his tricky leg spin producing 3-28 off his four overs, while Noah Turner picked up 2-19.
Ultimately, Nondies limped to the end of the innings, falling well short of the target at 9-104, handing a semi-final berth to the visitor.
BLU now has a date with Moama on Thursday at Moama Recreation Reserve to see who will progress to the big one.
Echuca South v Leitchville-Gunbower
With a semi-final position up for grabs, the Swans took care of business on home soil against Leitchville-Gunbower.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, Echuca South got good production out of almost all of its top five batters.
Jayden Rosin (21), Asantha Singappuli (16) and Tristan Watson (19) all made starts, but it was Clayton Watson (44) at the top of the order and Ben Walker’s (31) counter-punch that delivered the Swans a defendable total of 8-150 from their 20 overs.
Nicholas Horman (3-25) and Zac Hegarty (3-28) were both strong with the ball and led an otherwise subdued L-G bowling attack.
In the second innings, it was hard going for the visitor, with no batter able to generate significant momentum as Echuca South wreaked havoc with ball in hand.
After securing best bowling figures in the first innings, Horman was the top scorer for L-G, tallying 19, with Thomas Colvin (13) the only other batter to hit double figures.
Simon Van Duinen (3-18) led the Swans’ assault, with Tristan Watson and Brendan Lewis also jagging a pair of scalps each to knock over L-G for 66 in a tick over 15 overs, nearly 100 runs short of the required total.
The victory meant that Echuca South finished on top of the T20 standings and will host a semi-final against a dangerous Kyabram Fire Brigade side at 5pm on Thursday.
Kyabram Fire Brigade v Moama
Although it fell to a comprehensive defeat in round three, previous results ensured Kyabram Fire Brigade will feature in the competition finals.
The Flames went into the round as the only 2-0 side, but couldn’t match the one-day competition leader Moama at Northern Oval.
Fire Brigade sent the Mowers in but may have regretted its decision as openers Russell Stockdale and Anthony McMahon immediately went on the attack.
A Stockdale boundary off the first delivery set the tone and the pair put on 71 in eight overs before McMahon departed for 48.
Stockdale would bat through and go on to post a massive 94 from 60 balls, caught on the final delivery attempting to secure his century.
Jack Russell was also aggressive when called upon, making 26 from 14.
Moama posted an intimidating 5-190, leaving Kyabram plenty to do in the second innings.
When the wickets did come for Ky, Cooper Fawcett (2-31) and Jackson Barnett (2-41) were the main perpetrators.
The Flames started poorly and the run chase never really recovered.
Two of the top five went for first-ball ducks, while two others also failed to fire, Fire Brigade 4-7 within four overs.
The Flames’ three best contributors steadied the innings from the middle order, Jake Gascoyne (14), Cooper Fawcett (26) and Miller Griffiths (13) moving things along to a more respectable 6-64, but Fire Brigade was never a threat to make the required runs.
The tail came and went, and the host was dismissed 11 balls early for 78.
Billy Gallagher tore apart the top order, taking the first four wickets within eight balls and finishing 5-10.
Stockdale added two wickets to his 94, while Duane Johns also picked up a couple in seven balls.
Fire Brigade’s previous victories kept the side in fourth spot, with the semi-finals ahead on Thursday.
Rochester v Echuca
Things didn’t go quite as swimmingly for a struggling Rochy unit, being stymied yet again by the green machine.
It was a close encounter between the two rivals at Windridge Oval, with Echuca winning the toss and electing to bat first.
All of Echuca’s top five made starts, led by opener and captain Brendan Moyle (24) and first drop Aidan Young (46).
Angus Martin was Rochy’s only multi-wicket taker, producing 2-18 off his four overs, as the visitor cruised to 5-156 off its 20 overs.
In the second innings, it was the host’s openers that produced the goods, with Cyrus Shafi (66) and Sean Williams (59) both producing half centuries.
Unfortunately, no-one else went along with them as no other batter made more than nine, leaving Rochy seven runs short after its 20 overs.
Corey Jacobs (3-17) and Ryan Caldwell (3-23) were the pick of the bowlers for the visitor, despite Echuca finishing second last in the short form competition.