Third ranked Moama amassed 8-200 from its 40 overs at Brick Alley last Thursday and tomorrow night the unbeaten Fire Brigade will have a task to reel in the total.
If not for the bowling heroics of Ethan Greiner and Nicholas Dodos the result could have been worse, both taking two wickets as eight Moama Black batters scored double figures.
In the two completed rounds since the 2024 restart to the season, Kyabram Fire Brigade White has had a close win against sixth ranked Rochester and won by forfeit against Kyabram Redbacks.
That victory against Rochester came largely through the bowling efforts of Mia Elliott and Paddy Westerveld, while Greiner (retired 16) and Westerveld (not out 13) were the batting stars.
Fire Brigade White sits on top of the ladder with six wins, ahead of Echuca White, Moama Black and Moama White — the last two are involved in a three-way battle for two semi-final spots with Kyabram Fire Birgade Red and Rochester.
The two Moama teams, Fire Brigade Red and Rochester have 20 premiership points with only half of the final round remaining.
Black is in the driver’s seat in its match with the top team, while Rochester required only 102 runs to beat Moama White and Fire Birgade Red is in charge of its match with BLU.
Fire Brigade Red scored 6-162 from its 40 overs against BLU, which has won just two of its seven games and sits eighth on the 11-team ladder.
After winning the toss and batting, Archer Backway hit four boundaries in his 40-ball 28 before retiring, supported by number three star Wil Harrison.
Harrison also scored 28 from his 40 deliveries and struck three boundaries.
Mitch Wilson (20), James Priest and Max Stockdale (both with 15) were the other players to score double figures.
In 2024 Fire Birgade Red has scored an easy win against Echuca South, on the back of Max Stockdale’s 4-4 (from four overs) and Lara Hooper’s 2-0 (from three overs, all maidens).
Echuca South managed just 21 from 20 overs, then Antonio De Pasquale finished 22 not out and Harrison nine not out in the run chase.
The following week the Red team had the bye.
· Tongala opening batter Mitchell Cornwall provided two of the major highlights of the post Christmas rounds, standing tall in both his team’s matches — losses to Rochester and Echuca White.
He batted right through his team’s innings against Echuca White, opening the innings and smashing six boundaries and four sixes on the Brose Reserve oval to finish unbeaten with 55.
His team finished with 5-84 from its 20 overs, with Jack Forde providing support in a patient 30-ball 11-run innings.
Echuca White scored 4-173 to maintain its top four ranking.
Against Rochester a week later it was Tongala star Cornwall who again played a lone hand.
He was not out 36 (from 21 deliveries with six boundaries and a six) at the end of the Tongala innings.
River Townsend (18 from 26 deliveries) provided late innings support as the team was all out for 102 from 23.4 overs.
Rochester, which had batted first, made 7-132 from its 25 overs as Townsend completed a fine match with 3-8 from two overs.
Tongala’s final round match was won on forfeit by Kyabram Redbacks.
· Kyabram Fire Brigade’s under-15 GMC girls team is still in the hunt for a top-two finish after a win against the competition leader on Friday.
After winning the toss and sending Katty Tigers in to bat, Sienna Brennan produced an inspired spell of bowling and took 3-12 from four overs.
The Kyabram Secondary College match was highlighted, however, by a brilliant partnership between Penny Mason (not out 37) and Sophie McDonald (not out 26).
Mason struck three boundaries and a six, while McDonald hit two boundaries and a pair of sixes in her innings.
Fire Brigade was 4-109 after its 20 overs and has matches against bottom team Nondies-Cohuna and third ranked Echuca Green to finish the season.
A pair of wins could see it challenge second ranked Rochester, which has a final round bye.
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