You just never know when your next win may arrive.
Euroa went into the second half of its two-day match against Mooroopna as heavy underdogs.
The Magpies had lost six straight — aside from a no-result — matches to start the 2024-25 Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield season and they are a team going through a youth-led rebuild.
After rain affected the first half of the round eight fixture the previous weekend, the Magpies started Saturday on 7-101 after 34.5 overs.
The match was shortened to 67 overs a side due to the previous weekend’s weather.
Facing the likes of quality bowlers such as Henry Barrow, Corey Meyer, Jack Gaskill and Ethan Baker, Euroa’s tailenders faced an uphill battle to see out the remaining 32.5 overs.
The innings resumed with Magpies coach Andrew Squires and Oliver Swain at the crease.
The partnership lasted an extra eight runs before Gaskill broke through, dismissing Squires for 10.
Marc Hornby departed soon after with the score on 9-112.
It was then left to the two young gun Olivers (Wilson and Swain) to see out the rest of the innings.
The pair added 16 — crucial in hindsight — runs to Euroa’s total before Wilson was dismissed by Gaskill for nine, leaving Mooroopna a target of 129 to chase.
The Magpies refused to give an inch to their opposition to start the second innings as the home side looked to break its drought.
Opening bowlers Walter Jackson and Wilson started the innings to near-perfection, restricting the batters and snaring wickets.
Mooroopna’s Jordan Wiggins departed for a 21-ball three, while his opening counterpart Ryan Hallum left the middle soon after making an 18-ball duck.
Euroa’s stranglehold continued as the home side refused to give Mooroopna’s batters any respite.
The wickets began to steadily tumble as the score rolled from 3-15 to 6-46.
When Jackson snared Ben Woods and Meyer in consecutive overs, Mooroopna was left gasping at 8-64 and Euroa was within reach of an impressive come-from-behind victory.
However, after spinning a web with ball in hand, Gaskill’s form carried over with the willow as the wily all-rounder held strong for Mooroopna.
Gaskill and Caleb Aitken fought hard for the visitor as Euroa struggled to take the all-important ninth and 10th wickets.
Mooroopna slowly edged its way to 8-114 as an incredible fight back and heartbreak for Euroa seemed the likely ending.
As the Gaskill and Aitken pairing celebrated its 50-run partnership, Nic Hill was brought on to bowl.
The decision was a master stroke as Hill took a wicket in his first over, dismissing Aitken (nine runs off 57 balls).
Number 11 Josh Preston arrived at the crease and scored a quick-fire seven off five before Sham Dadallage secured his fourth wicket for the day and victory for the Magpies.
THE GAME
Euroa 128 (Nic Hill 33, Henry Barrow 3-17, Jack Gaskill 3-37) d Mooroopna 121 (Jack Gaskill 46*, Sham Dadallage 4-46, Walter Jackson 4-55)
STAY PLAYER
Walter Jackson (Euroa): The young gun all-rounder is a big part of Euroa’s future. In his mid-teens, Jackson is already opening the bowling and batting for the Magpies and, while he didn’t trouble the scorers with the bat, his influence with the ball can’t be understated and he was an integral part of Euroa’s first victory of the summer.
Euroa captain Scott Hamilton said Saturday’s win was a special victory for his young side.
“It’s always nice to beat Mooroopna,” Hamilton said.
“Historically, they have been a really strong club for a long time, so it is nice to beat a really big club like that.
“Hopefully, it is a bit of a trampoline effect and it can bounce us into the second half of the season.”
After a near-match-winning effort with the ball, Jackson announced himself as one to watch for the future.
However, Hamilton said that Euroa had known for a long time how special all-rounder Jackson was.
“He is a super young talent,” he said.
“The last few weeks he has been a bit of a workhorse for us and he has taken it upon himself to open the bowling.
“He is starting to see that progression in his cricketing and we have no doubt he will become a really super talent with his cricketing, we are just trying to harness and continue to build on what he has got.”
The match was a see-sawing affair throughout the final few overs.
Hamilton said he was proud of how his young side fought back against quality opposition.
“You’re not gonna have a stranglehold on the game for the whole time,” he said.
“Part of our pre-game ritual is to focus on trying to be in the fight for longer.
“We knew (128) wasn’t quite what we wanted to achieve.
“To the boys' credit, they showed a lot of heart, it was a character-building win and at times it was pretty hostile.
“Our focus never wavered, we knew we could get the job done and it was nice to get those last (couple of wickets).”