Rochester’s season ended in defeat at the weekend, falling to minor premier Echuca by 71 runs out at Cohuna.
Rochester started brightly in pursuit of Echuca’s first-innings total of 223, with Adrian Pappin and Brandon Byrne resuming at 0-29.
Pappin crafted a well-made half-century, but after progressing to 58 without loss, the Rochester opener was bowled by Matt Hinks.
Jordan Bunce was next to go, although at 2-78, the momentum was still firmly with Rochester.
Aiden Young brought a swift end to that momentum with the wickets of Blake Evans and round 13 centurian Adam Ward within three deliveries, reducing Rochester to 4-89.
Young struck again with the wicket of Sean Williams to flip the game on its head, and with Young’s fourth wicket, that of Fraser Cleary, Rochester was stranded at 8-100.
Brendan Moyle and Ben Holt brought an end to the contest with a wicket each.
Adam Ward’s six-wicket haul on day one of the contest stands as the highlight for Rochester.
For Rochester, the clash brings an end to a tumultuous season.
With the club forced to contend with the challenges brought on by the 2022 floods, Rochester finished seventh with two wins and six losses to its name.
Although the club will miss finals, Rochy will be buoyed by some late-season form that saw it win two of its last four games, and if the club can retain returned all-rounder Adam Ward, it should be a swift jump back up the rankings for last season’s semi-finalists.
Meanwhile, Echuca’s will now begin its premiership defence in earnest with a semi-final clash this Saturday against last season’s grand final opponent BLU after the Lions stole a dramatic place in the finals with a win over Moama.
BLU progressed at the expense of Kyabram Fire Brigade, who will miss finals after falling to Nondies-Cohuna.
The game
Echuca 223 (C.J. Townrow 103, A.J. Ward 6-43, M.B. Wade 2-32) d Rochester 152 (A. Pappin 53, J. Cuttriss 33, A. Young 4-18, C. Hinks 2-12)