Katandra came into day two of a critical Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield tie with Shepparton United expecting a fight down to the wire.
While those at Euroa Friendly Societies Reserve witnessed such a spectacle on Saturday, Princess Park most certainly did not.
Katandra’s bowling, doubtless expecting fierce opposition from the Rehan Bari-led United outfit, moved down the order with aplomb and, at times, almost relative ease in securing a mammoth 166-run win.
THE GAME
Shepparton United 126 (Mitchell Jarrett 34, Steven Tate 29, Corey Hickford 3-14, Ryleigh Shannon 2-16) lt Katandra 6-292 (Andrew Riordan 104, Nathan Hickey 32, Sam Nash 4-90)
STAR PLAYER
Andrew Riordan (Katandra): It could simply be nobody else after a magnificent knock on day one that put the contest out of reach. Riordan’s work in getting Katandra through the opening day was pivotal.
United’s victory target of 293 rapidly began to look steep, with only a reasonably steady 34-run stand between Mitchell Jarrett and Harry Singh preventing an extremely unflattering early glance at the scorecard.
Once barometer Bari was run out for eight off 27 balls, leaving his side five down and 213 runs adrift of the Eagles, the game looked done and dusted.
Admirably, Steven Tate and Hugh Conway attempted to battle on, but Katandra’s collaborative talents tore the tail to shreds, skittling the home side for 126 with more than 25 overs voided on the day.
Corey Hickford took the plaudits in day two action, with his neat figures of 3-14 off 13 overs leading the charge on a day where the Eagles’ attack shared the success.
After sitting the first two-day fixtures out with the bye following defeat to Central Park-St Brendans, Katandra was frustrated by a no-win November.
The ship is firmly back on course, though, which delights Ryleigh Shannon, who added another pair of wickets in limited overs.
“We knew we needed to bowl well to get the result,” Shannon said.
“It wasn’t just going to be handed to us, especially with the form Rehan has been in.”
Sure enough, after Bari’s wicket was highlighted as the undoubted key to victory following day one, the bowlers could move on from him without taking the scalp directly.
“It was a great piece of fielding by Hadleigh Sirett at first slip. He dove to stop it and just flicked back towards the stumps, and got something like a stumping,” Shannon said.
“It was great work from the big fella.
“Once Rehan went, we were all pretty confident in the position, but that only happens with us ticking all the boxes.
“The fielding is a huge focus for us and the run out comes from all the work we’ve been putting in; it’s showing the fruits of our labour.”
With much of the day remaining after United was bowled out, the plausible option existed for the Eagles to attempt the outright.
No such strain was necessary, though, according to Shannon.
“When Jedd (Wright) is out, a lot of the overs have to go through the seam bowlers,” Shannon said.
“You don’t want to put unnecessary stress on, and if we’re performing as we should, we shouldn’t need to milk extra points.”
Kyabram, the Eagles’ final opponent before the festive break, would have been in a similar position regarding its triumph over the Tigers.
The Eagles-Redbacks fixture will provide considerable stakes in the finals chase as the reigning premiers continue to chase Waaia at the summit.
Meanwhile, Shepparton United’s 2023 is over due to a bye before the league’s hiatus, with a trip to Kyabram awaiting on the other side.