Sean Williams raises the bat for his 50, going on to make 129 from 125.
Photo by
Matthew Kappos
Goulburn Murray Cricket came away with league bragging rights in emphatic fashion on Sunday, the McMahon Shield all-stars crushing the side representing Murray Valley Cricket Association.
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GMC won by 217 runs in a comprehensive thrashing, the league’s best, showing their quality with bat and ball.
Brenton Campbell bowls for MVCA.
Photo by
Matthew Kappos
Winning the toss at Moama Recreation Reserve, the local contingent decided to bat first.
Captain Regis Chakabva (Bamawm-Lockington United) showed early intent, scoring almost exclusively via boundaries as he hit three fours and two sixes on his way to 28 from 13 deliveries.
Asantha Singappuli sends it out of the ground.
Photo by
Matthew Kappos
Fellow opener Russell Stockdale (Moama) also made a useful 19 from 20, GMC moving rapidly to 2-55 within seven overs.
Sean Williams (Rochester) then joined Asantha Singappuli (Echuca South) at the crease in what would become an innings-defining partnership.
MVCA had to make the trek across the road after a huge Asantha Singappuli six.
Photo by
Matthew Kappos
They were together for more than 20 overs, both passing 50.
After raising his bat, a previously cagey Singappuli released the shackles and began to target the boundary, including launching a huge six over the rope, the fence and Kirchhofer St.
His luck ran out later that over and the Swans star departed for 61.
Scotty Morris rolls the fingers on an off-break.
Photo by
Matthew Kappos
Williams hung around with the middle order and was rewarded for his industry with a century.
He too went on the attack as the innings wound down, eventually caught for 129 from 125 with the final ball.
Kobyn James (right) joins Sean Williams in the middle.
Photo by
Matthew Kappos
GMC had set 7-304 from its 50 overs, a tall task for MVCA to hunt down.
Jacob Bartlett and Jeremy Baden each took two wickets for the visitor, while Lachlan Hyde, Griegan French and Reilly Rennick also made breakthroughs.
The MVCA run chase quickly fell apart thanks to a clinical bowling effort from GMC.
Griegan French returns to his mark.
Photo by
Matthew Kappos
Angus Martin (Rochester) removed both openers within the first six overs, to put MVCA at 2-18, declining to 3-18 the next over when Anthony McMahon (Moama) claimed his first.
Jacob Bartlett provided the only resistance in the middle order, prolonging the slide with a resilient 29 from 47 deliveries.
Bartlett’s dismissal at 8-84 effectively ended the MVCA resistance and the tail was rolled quickly, the visitor all out for 87.
Asantha Singappuli acknowledges his batting partner after making 50.
Photo by
Matthew Kappos
McMahon would finish with GMC’s best figures of 4-11, while Martin took 2-25 and Singappuli 2-19.
Nondies-Cohuna’s Xavier Wishart (1-12) and Leitchville-Gunbower’s Simon Tatt (1-6) were also among the wickets.
After teaming up effectively, the GMC’s best will return to being rivals this week.
The league’s T20 A-grade competition gets under way on Thursday, November 20, with Rochester hosting Kyabram Fire Brigade, Echuca visiting Moama, Leitchville-Gunbower travelling to Nondies-Cohuna and BLU at home to Echuca South.
The McMahon Shield resumes on Saturday as Moama hosts Rochester, Echuca South challenges BLU, Fire Brigade welcomes Nondies-Cohuna and Echuca makes the trip to Leitchville-Gunbower.
The Game
Goulburn Murray Cricket 7-304 (Sean Williams 129, Asantha Singappuli 61, Jacob Bartlett 2-44) d Murray Valley Cricket Association 87 (Jacob Bartlett 29, Anthony McMahon 4-11)
