Echuca falls short of outright win, retains first innings points

However, L-G came out firing to start the day, with neither Charlie Hinks or Kobyn James adding to their overnight scores of 0 and 74 respectively.

Aidan Young added 11 and Kale Edwards just six, wickets tumbling rapidly as Echuca’s efforts at building its lead began to fall apart.

At 9-185 captain Simon Maddox called time on the innings after his side added just 6-23 for the day, a lead of 125.

James Keath (4-53) bowled a damaging spell to hamstring Echuca’s attempts to grow its advantage, while Liam Keath (2-9) took two wickets.

L-G needed to either survive until the end of the day, in the region of 70 overs, or surpass Echuca’s score, which would force the host to bat a second time and likely delay the game enough to avoid the outright loss.

Billy Hawken departed quickly, falling victim to Nathan Elliott in the fifth over, but the pairing of Joshua O’Shea and Harry Wright proved much harder to shift.

The duo dug in for more than 25 overs, frustrating the Echuca attack before Young finally made the breakthrough, removing Wright lbw.

At 2-85, L-G seemed likely to make the required runs, the question was could it hold on long enough to prevent Echuca chasing down the eventual total?

The next nine overs saw the score move to 116, with O’Shea finally heading to the sheds after a marathon knock.

From 4-119, L-G got the runs to take the ‘lead’ in the match and set about lasting as long as it could.

By day’s end the visitor had batted 67 overs and put up 202, and with no time left for Echuca to make the 77 required, the game ended in a first innings victory for the ladder-leader.

Archer Carlile and Brendan Moyle shared the wicket-taking duties for Echuca, taking three each.

Echuca’s next assignment is hosting Tongala, while L-G will welcome Nondies-Cohuna to Gunbower Recreation Reserve.