Yet it wasn’t enough in the end for Barooga Cricket Club as they fell dramatically to Cobram in the grand final of the Murray Valley Cricket Association tournament.
Maybe it was a case of revenge being a dish best-served cold, considering that Barooga ensured Cobram failed to make the grand final in 2023.
Played over two days on their home turf, Cobram managed to rebuff any attempts by their northern neighbour and biggest rival to chase them down, finishing the final game of the tournament 9-219 against Barooga’s 10-56.
In the first innings, Cobram’s Adam De Cicco made an impressive 80 runs before falling to bowler Benjamin Beaumont, and Cobram’s Shaun Downie made 51 runs before falling to Barooga’s Jonathan Oliver.
Cobram’s Hugh Hyde made a respectable 38 runs before he lost his wicket to Beaumont.
Cobram’s best bowlers of the first innings were De Cicco, who took three wickets, and Downie and Jimmy Daniel, who each took two wickets.
Meanwhile, the first innings saw Barooga’s William Sharp make 18 runs before getting himself out.
Barooga’s Cameron Nye made 11 runs before falling to Downie.
Mitchell Richmann gave his side 15 runs before De Cicco saw him out.
Cobram coach Adam Hardwood said the win was as great as it was unexpected.
“It was a pretty good win, especially as we came fourth in the ladder,” he said.
“It’s pretty rewarding.”
Hardwood said the rivalry between Cobram and Barooga had always been strong, and the game was very much in the balance for quite a while.
“It was a great game of cricket played by both sides.”
