Stanhope and Tongala junior cricketers have been brave against highly-ranked opposition in the latest round of Goulburn Murray Cricket under-13 matches.
Newcomer to the competition, Stanhope, had to contend with second-ranked Echuca South, which has won five of its seven games, while Tongala faced third-placed Echuca White in its game.
The teams sit bottom and second bottom on the seven-team ladder, but Stanhope batted after winning the toss and put up 8-108 from its 25 overs.
Cooper Fisher scored 25 not out from 22 deliveries, while Ashton Nurse produced another amazing innings to eventually be run out for 30.
His score came from 17 deliveries and included seven boundaries. At one stage he hit four boundaries from seven balls.
Alyssa Braithwaite contributed 16 in the middle order to be the only other double figure batter.
Echuca South scored 1-108 in 17 overs in reply, Kaleb Archard the only wicket-taker for Stanhope.
There is one more round of matches in the under -3 competition, with Stanhope facing Lockington-Gunbower at Stanhope, hoping to score its first win of the season after coming close on several occasions.
· Tongala skipper Kevin Maurizi again produced the highlight of the round for his team, smashing three sixes and four boundaries in his side’s score of 5-105 against Echuca White.
He faced 18 deliveries and took 16 runs from one over as he finished unbeaten with 35 at the end of the Tongala innings.
He had support from Phoenix Greenman (17 not out off 27 deliveries) and the consistent Lucas Pyke (16 runs at a run-a-ball with three boundaries).
In reply Echuca White lost only three wickets, which were taken by Tongala’s Jack West.
He finished with figures of 3-22 from 3.1 overs as the winning score came up in 22.3 overs.
· Kyabram Fire Brigade faced third-ranked Rochester in its penultimate round before the Christmas break, sending its opposition in after winning the toss.
Rochester made 8-121 from its 25 overs, Billy Sheppard taking 2-8 from three overs to be the pick of the 11 bowlers used by the Flames.
Mason Kilpatrick, Max Gould and Sheppard did their bit in the run chase, but they finished well short of the target and were 9-70 after 24.3 overs.
· In the final round before the break at under-15 level Tongala scored its first win of the season, against Nondies-Cohuna on the back of a 9-201 score on day one of the Brose Reserve contest.
The 40-over game’s second day was highlighted by a early charge by Nondies before Tongala’s Jett Kreymborg led a charge which had Tongala take 4-32 and restrict its opponent to 8-158 for the evening.
Kreymborg took 3-13 from five overs, including two wickets in three balls that halted the opposition’s momentum.
Angus Greenman and River Townsend were also great performers with the ball.