It was a convincing win for the green machine against the Lions as Echuca sits second on the ladder, with percentage the only thing separating the two sides.
Getting sent into bat first in enemy territory, Rhys Varcoe (31), Declan Hancock (45) and Rory Carlile (44) made starts with Nick Dolan (47 not out) and Thomas Kerr (14 not out) guiding Echuca to 3-203 from its 40 overs.
Jake Toll was the most successful with the ball for the Lions, snaring two out of the three wickets that fell for 39 runs.
BLU failed to chase down the total , instead being all out for 163 at the start of the 38th over.
Josh Cairns (52) and Cameron Laird (41) did the heavy lifting for the Lions, putting together a 95-run partnership with Toll (31) the only other player to score in double figures.
Elmore v Cooma
The Redbacks cruised to a six-wicket win over Cooma, chasing down the latter’s underwhelming total in a tick more than 20 overs.
Elmore won the toss and elected to bowl with little resistance as Cooma was bowled out for 89.
Joel Stephens batting at nine was the only player to make a substantial score with 35, while Liam Scopelliti (15) and Jake Hubble (13) were the only other players to crack double figures.
Tom Morris led the way with the ball for Elmore, taking 5-17 in the first innings.
In the second, Matt Gilmour’s unbeaten 51 almost single-handedly won the game for the Redbacks who lost four wickets en route to the win.
Blake Watts was a silver lining for Cooma, snaring 3-33 with the ball.
Moama v Kyabram Fire Brigade
Perhaps the most even game of the round, the Flames managed to defend their total with the match coming down to the final ball.
Moama won the toss and sent Fire Brigade in to bat with Brett Andison (39) and Mitch Dunne (54) building a good platform at the top of the order.
Cohan Cooper (12) and Lachlan Carver (16 not out) made handy knocks as the Flames ended up with a total of 6-163 from their 40 overs.
James Simpson was the most effective with the ball, his off-spin producing 4-34 with Kaj Huddle the only other bowler to take a wicket.
Things looked good for the Mowers in the second innings as Kirk Teasdale (27), Matthew Watt (47) and Charles Connors (38) made runs at the top of the order, while Jackson Groves (24 not out) proved defiant in the back half of the innings.
However, Moama’s issues running between the wickets cost it the game as the scalps of Simpson (0), Tony Orton (1) and Luke Dinan (6) came from run outs, the last of which was on the final ball of the innings leading to the Mowers losing by a single run.
Stanhope v Rushworth
Stanhope barely had to leave first gear to get a win over Rushworth, chasing down a measly total in a little more than 27 overs while losing one wicket.
After Jake Perry was dismissed first ball for Rushworth, Liam Francis (23) and Thomas Stevens (20) built a steady partnership with Shannon Jarrett adding 23 later in the innings.
The rest of the batters offered little as the Tigers were rolled for 92 in 32 overs with Shannon McMahon-Kinnear (4-13) and Jonathan Pearson (3-20) starring with the ball.
For Stanhope Kian Verrall (31) was the only wicket to fall in the innings, with the win coming at the start of the 28th over from a Jak McMillan wide, as Hamish Stewart remained 43 not out.
Declan Baldwin was the only Rushworth bowler to take a wicket, claiming figures of 1-5 off a single over.
