Quite the start
Not a bad way to start your cricket career.
Kyabram Redbacks started the under-10 cricket season last week against Tatura, and it turned out to be a match to remember for debutant, Oliver McInnes, 8.
After the Redbacks batted first and made a score of 148, Oliver got his chance with the ball. He made the most of it, getting wickets with his first two deliveries.
He missed the hat-trick, but he was far from done.
When it was his turn to bowl another over, he took three successive wickets and achieved the hat-trick, much to the excitement of his teammates and spectators.
And there was an unusual twist to Oliver’s hat-trick feat.
His first two wickets were when he was bowling pace and third came bowling spin.
Now that’s a brave switch of pace when you are on a hat-trick, but young Oliver pulled it off.
Oliver's bowling figures for the match were an impressive 5/6 off three overs.
Oliver’s teammate Max McLay took the other five wickets to provide the Redbacks with a handsome win to start the season.
Something’s wrong here
While most rain gauges in Kyabram and district measured 20mm or more — some even up to 35mm — on Friday, October 18, and Saturday, October 19, Kyabram weather station recorded only 10.4mm on those two days.
That was on the Friday into Saturday, with no figures produced for the Thursday-Friday period when most of the rain fell.
There was obviously a malfunction in the recording system, which provides weather data to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Kyabram had its warmest day since April 1 when the temperature peaked at 30.4°C on Tuesday, October 22.
Electoral changes
For the first time in its history, Rochester will not be associated with the Campaspe Shire Council and Goulburn Valley region at the next federal election.
As announced in September, Rochester will vacate Nicholls electorate for the Bendigo electorate in redistributed federal electorate boundaries.
Rochester has been connected with Echuca, Kyabram and Shepparton since the first federal election in 1901.
Lisa Chesters, sitting member of Bendigo electorate, which includes Bendigo, Heathcote, Castlemaine and Elmore, has pledged embattled Rochester is a place she is familiar with and the obstacles which it has had to deal with but has promised it gets its fair share.
Lights go out
Murray River Council has decided to discontinue the Moama Lights event.
It has claimed significant staff commitments, rising costs and a need to better align with better needs for the community are behind the reason to pull the plug.
Staged in the Horseshoe Lagoon of the Moama Lights, this year’s showing produced a $7.9 million windfall, council claimed resource demands to stage the event are no longer sustainable.
Sheep sale success
A recent Deniliquin sheep sale proved a bonanza, with just under $4 million changing hands.
The sale was above expectations by $20 to $30 a head and regarded as one of the strongest merino sales this year in the Riverina.
Rare sighting
Bird watchers in the region have been chuffed with the discovery of doubled barred finch.
Rarely seen north of the Murray River, there have been sightings of the bird near Dookie and Pine Lodge which are believed to have made their way west from the Warby Ranges.
It is not hard to identify from other finch species with its grey and white plumage and two signature black bands across its chest.
For information or to report a sightings, contact Don Roberts at murraygoulburn@birdlife.org.au
Support for centre
Interest in a bid to establish a Connected Universities Centre in both Finley and Deniliquin is receiving growing support.
Submissions and feedback from local businesses have established skills and education gaps in the community which require addressing.
Pledges of $340,000 in finance and in-kind contributions from local businesses and individuals have been received,
An application seeking government support for the project claims it would allow school-leavers to continue studies locally and also older community members to upskill or change career paths.
Supporting major build
An Echuca concreting business is playing a key role in one of Victoria’s largest road projects.
Humes has been contacted to construct 4000 cement box culverts for Melbourne’s North-East Link, a project jointly funded by the Federal and Victorian governments and due for completion in 2028.
Humes produces up to 14 culverts a day which measure 3m by 3m with each culvert weighing in around 20 tonnes.
Over 60 workers are involved in the Echuca arm of the project.
A Benalla business is also making a giant contribution to the project with LS Precast completing 22, 000 concrete segments of 43, 000 needed for the project.
Battery fire
A lithium battery is believed to have caused a fire on a Benalla recycling truck last week.
Quick action from the driver who dumped the burning load and prompt action from the Benalla Fire Brigade ensured no-one was injured but the incident continues to cause alarm about the danger of lithium batteries.
Square dinkum
G’day
I hate it when I can’t figure out how to operate my phone properly and my regular tech support person is unavailable ... that’s because my tech support person is five years old, it’s past his bedtime and he is fast asleep.
Hooroo!!!