A clash between Rochester and Kyabram Fire Brigade has provided some early-season clarity on where things stand at the top of the McMahon Shield.
A rousing Rochester performance, on its home soil of Moon Oval, has seen Rochy dominate with both bat and ball to defeat the Flames by six wickets in their top-of-the-table clash and claim outright first place in Goulburn Murray Cricket.
Coming off an impressive batting performance against Nondies-Cohuna, Fire Brigade decided to bat first after winning the toss.
Openers Miller Griffiths and Tim Nelson were troubled by the Rochy attack from the off, but while the runs weren’t flowing, only four were scored from the first seven overs, the the two were able to preserve their wicket.
That run ended in the 13th over when Nelson fell victim to Angus Martin, departing with just two runs, from 31 balls to his name.
Griffiths (14) had been making better of the scoring but in the very next Martin over he too found himself back in the pavilion.
Martin could do no wrong and made it three wickets from three overs when he sent Kaine Herbert’s bails flying, leaving the Flames in all sorts at 3-27.
Brett Andison steadied the innings, ticking the scoreboard over with support from first Bohden Learmonth (7), then Paul Newman (17) and Cohan Hooper (13), pushing the total past 100 for the loss of six wickets.
Now on his sixth batting partner, Andison (39) finally fell, trapped in front by Cale James.
Strike bowler Robert Salter (17 not out), proved himself useful with the bat, but the rest of the Flames tail fell in short order as Fire Brigade set a total of 129.
Martin’s (3-23) blistering start, ripping through the Fire Brigade top order, gave him best figures for Rochy, while Cale James (2-28) also took two and Adam Ward (2-8) ended the innings with two consecutive stump shakers.
Chasing 130 for victory, Rochester wasn’t in any mood to lose early wickets, openers Brandon Byrne and Sean Williams finding going slow but frustrating the Flames with their tenacity.
The pair spent 24 overs, more than half the innings, together at the crease.
Williams had possessed more of the scoring impetus, and raised the bat after a composed half-century.
However, just six runs later his innings was ended, Salter finally making the breakthrough for Fire Brigade, pinning Williams leg before wicket.
With Rochester 1-81, the Flames attempted to stage a revival picking up two quick dismissals to give themselves some hope at 3-92.
However, a purposeful Jake Wright innings put the result beyond doubt, his 21 from 23 securing the points for Rochy, his side’s 4-130 surpassing the Flames total in 39.5 overs.
Along with Williams and Wright, Byrne (22) was the other scorer of note, holding down his end for 86 deliveries.
The taking of just four wickets makes the Fire Brigade scorecard poor reading, with each of Salter, Tom Owen, Herbert, and Wil Harrison sharing the breakthroughs.
Now clear on top as the only undefeated side, Rochester is one of three teams with a bye heading into the first of this season’s five two-day fixtures, beginning next weekend.
In fact, the entire top three will be sitting on the sidelines as Moama, and now third-placed Fire Brigade also have the bye.
The Game
Kyabram Fire Brigade 129 (Brett Andison 39, Angus Martin 3-23) lost to Rochester 4-130 (Sean Williams 56, Brandon Byrne 22, Jake Wright 21 not out, Kaine Herbert 1-11)