Kyabram sent a stern warning to its Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield competitors on Saturday as it orchestrated a professional run chase to down Waaia by six wickets on its home deck.
A batting effort anchored by stoic opener Billy McLay (56) and in-form skipper Kyle Mueller (55 not out), the pair complemented each other to perfection as their 58-run stand set up the convincing triumph.
This came after the Redbacks tweakers spun the home side back into the contest, as Alec Young (2-20), Darin Ohlsen (2-23) and Kaine Herbert (2-34) combined for all six Waaia wickets to restrict the Bombers to 180 after they got off to a fast start.
The sixth straight victory for Kyabram, coach Jackson McLay was full of praise for his troops as they ground out a professional win against a talented opponent.
“It was a very high-quality game in very hot conditions and we had to be at our very best to get the job done,” McLay said.
“Being our first time chasing it was a bit of a different challenge for us, but I thought the boys adapted well and showed they were able to win a variety of different ways.
“To get over a team as talented as Waaia is always very pleasing and hopefully we can continue that positive momentum into a big game against Mooroopna next week.”
Winning the toss and batting first on a flat Kyabram track, the Waaia batters took full advantage with Jordan Cleeland (44) and Brenton Low (36) getting off to a fast start to have the Bombers in the box seat at 1-100.
With his seamers proving to be off the mark, Mueller made the decision to bring his spinners on in a move that changed the context of the game.
The trio of Ohlsen, Young and Herbert had the Waaia middle order in ruins, as it lost 5-77 to go from a projected total of more than 200 to 180 at the end of its 45 overs.
“It was a pretty tough start with the ball, I think we bowled 14 wides in the first 15 overs, so we were in a bit of trouble,” McLay said.
“But from that 15-over mark onwards I felt we really controlled the game, especially with our spinners they were just fantastic in getting the game back on our terms.
“To restrict them to 180 was a massive win for us, we felt it was about 40 to 50 short of what they could have got, and really set it up for our batters in the second innings.”
Despite a strong finish with the ball, a mighty batting effort was still required by the Redbacks as they embarked on their first chase of the season.
In need of somebody to anchor the effort, it was experienced opener Billy McLay who stepped up to the plate, as he exerted great patience and control to keep the classy Waaia openers at bay.
What made McLay’s innings more impressive was the fact he battled a stomach bug, as he toughed out the extreme heat to reach 56 off 119 deliveries.
But while McLay was resolute at one end, the Bombers did stay in the contest with a pair of wickets, which brought Mueller to the crease with his side at 2-59.
Serving as the key to the Redbacks’ hopes of victory, Mueller showed why he is the form batter of the competition, with his aggression immediately putting Waaia on the back foot.
Finding the boundary on five occasions, Mueller reached his 55 off 70 balls to see his team to victory in an innings McLay said rivalled his two recent tons when it came to importance and class.
“Kyle just controlled the innings for us, he was just super professional in the way he went about things and registered another 50 which was great,” he said.
“It was probably a bit different to his 100 the week before, there wasn’t as much power hitting as what he is capable of, Waaia bowled quite well to him and were very defensive in their fields.
“But he put his ego aside, was happy to take the ones and twos, before he eventually cut lose and got us over the line.”
THE GAME
Kyabram 4-184 (Billy McLay 56, Kyle Mueller 55 not out, Jesse Trower 2-38) d Waaia 6-180 (Jordan Cleeland 44, Brenton Low 36, Alec Young 2-20, Darin Ohlsen 2-23)
STAR PLAYER
Billy McLay (Kyabram): While Mueller’s knock ultimately got the Redbacks over the line, it was the hard yards of McLay at the top of the order that set up the victory. Battling a stomach bug and the extreme heat, the opener toiled hard against a classy Waaia fast bowling unit, before proving the perfect partner for his skipper. Finishing with a match-high 56, the innings was one filled with courage and determination.