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Gallery | Armstrong, Vibert the standouts as Tatura gets off the mark in 23-24 campaign

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Winding up: Tatura’s Rajvir Singh opens up the shoulders. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Tatura coach Daniel Coombs is hopeful his side’s thrilling18-run win can help kick-start its 2023-24 Haisman Shield campaign.

Following a disappointing opening three rounds to begin the Cricket Shepparton season, Tatura bounced back with a narrow triumph over Old Students at Howley Oval to finally get off the mark.

Young gun Blake Armstrong led the way with an important spell of bowling and picked up game-high figures of 5-43, while older head Tom Vibert chalked up his first half-century of the season with a crucial 51.

Coombs was pleased for his club to pencil in its first points of the Haisman Shield season.

“It has been a bit of a disappointing start with a few results not going our way, but it’s nice to get off the mark,” he said.

“It’s good for the confidence and it’s nice to bounce back ... hopefully we can grab some momentum and it can be the start for us to push up the table.”

Saturday’s round four encounter loomed as a chance for the host and Old Students to grab their first wins of the campaign.

Tatura elected to bat first on a “good pitch” and a “lightning quick” outfield, however, the visitors struck first and had the host 1-5 in the opening overs.

Opener Preston Aurish played a sensible innings and notched 46 off 103 deliveries as he and Vibert combined for a crucial 65-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Aurish departed in the 34th over, dismissed by Mohammad Shahid (2-22), which left Vibert to continue his run-a-ball knock as he raised the bat for 50.

Coombs was happy with the total of 6-214 — one he called “above par” on the “good wicket” at Howley Oval.

“They (Old Students) made it tricky for us, but we were able to get momentum going in the middle overs,” Coombs said.

“Tommy with his 50, he batted really well. He’s a player who has always had the talent and now we’re starting to see him get some consistency which is pleasing.”

Old Students were tasked with reaching their highest total of the season in a bid to claim the victory and two early wickets (2-27) put them behind the eight-ball.

However, talented top-order bat Felix Odell (62 runs off 67 deliveries) and exciting teenager Oscar Lambourn (50 from 95 balls) sent a few scares through the Tatura camp.

Odell crunched six boundaries and two sixes, while Lambourn anchored the run-chase with a conservative knock that consisted of seven boundaries as Students went at more than four runs an over.

The pair piled on 82 runs for the third wicket, but a peach delivery from Chaz Cheatley (1-24) sent Odell back to the sheds.

Armstrong claimed the vital wicket of Lambourn with Students 6-168 and the Tatura all-rounder wasn’t finished there.

The quick’s variation of pace had him rattle through the final three scalps of the contest as Old Students lost 5-28.

“I thought everyone bowled well in stages ... they were set up for a good run at it and his wicket (Odell) was probably the turning point,” Coombs said.

“The pressure went back on them and the run-rate went above nine or so ... Chaz bowled his best spell at the club.

“Blake’s variation at the end, attacking the stumps, was great and he bowled really well.

“There’s still plenty of areas to improve on, but we’ll enjoy the win and look to build some momentum now.”

THE GAME

Tatura 6-214 (Tom Vibert 51, Preston Aurish 46, Mohammad Shahid 2-22) d Old Students 196 (Felix Odell 62, Oscar Lambourn 50, Blake Armstrong 5-43, Jayden Armstrong 2-26)

STAR PLAYER

Blake Armstrong (Tatura): Despite not going on with a start with the bat (17 runs off 16 balls), Armstrong was damaging in the field. The all-rounder collected the opening wicket of the innings and the vital wicket of Lambourn before he rolled through the bottom-order to finish with impressive figures of 5-43 from 8.3 overs.