Tongala has won back-to-back games in Goulburn Murray Cricket’s under-13 competition after a terrific all-round effort from Phoenix Greenman and captain Kevin Maurizi.
Greenman helped his team restrict Rushworth to 7-75 from its 20 overs by taking two wickets and allowing just one run from his two overs.
He then opened the batting for the team and retired with 11 runs to his credit, paving his way for the hard-hitting Maurizi to bring home the points for the team.
Maurizi struck three boundaries and a six in his 21 retired total, needing just eight deliveries to rack up the score.
He had support from Lucas Pyke (not out 14 from 13 deliveries) and his twin brother Kane (not out 11).
Tongala finished 0-76 from 12.5 overs and has a big test this week when it faces second-ranked and unbeaten Rochester Gold.
· Stanhope fell 20 runs shy of the Echuca White target in their under-13 game last week, despite William West and Ashton Nurse reaching double figures in the run chase.
Max Fisher and Alyssa Braithwaite took wickets for Stanhope as Echuca piled on 87 for its 20 overs, but the team was unsuccessful in its run chase and after losing by two runs last week is still waiting on its first win.
The next game on its schedule is against the competition’s other winless team, Lockington-Gunbower, at Gunbower Recreation Reserve tonight.
· Archer Backway has continued his early season form with a second half-century, allowing Kyabram Fire Brigade to confirm its early season status as a favourite in the GMC under-17 competition.
Backway retired with 50 to his credit in round one against Rochester, when the second day of the match was washed out, then on Friday night at Northern Oval was 50 not out at the end of the 40 overs against second-ranked Echuca.
He was out for two in the second round match against Bamawm-Lockington United, but against Echuca on Friday led his team to a 9-195 total.
Backway faced 81 deliveries, coming in after Marley Gordon was run out for 25 in a hard-hitting innnings that included five boundaries and came from 17 deliveries.
Oscar Carver (15) and co-captain Riley Carver (34 from 38 deliveries) provided support for Backway, while Will Harrison contributed 22.
Fire Brigade lost four wickets for nine runs in the final three overs, James Hargreaves and Charlie Isaac removed with successive deliveries late in the innings.
· Zayden Scapin’s four-wicket performance for Kyabram Fire Birgade’s dominant under-11 team guided his team to a 79-run win against Rochester.
Scapin took 4-5 from three overs as Rochester was skittled for 68 in 20 overs, while Levi Cleveland took 3-9 from three overs in support.
In the 10th over Scapin took wickets with successive deliveries and then took his other two wickets in the space of three deliveries in the 17th over.
Cleveland (18 with two boundaries) and Archie Andison (15) opened the innings strongly, then had Oscar Andison (20) and Eli Coombs (17 not out off 14 deliveries) helping the team reach 147.
· Nate Chantler struck four boundaries in his 10-ball 17 for Tongala, but it was not enough to avoid defeat against Moama Black.
He was the only player to reach double figures as the Mini Blues scored 96, which was passed by Moama Black with several overs to spare.
Spencer Williams took two wickets, while Denzil Daniels, Owen Johnstone and Tex Townsend also featured in the wicket-taking column.
· Stanhope scored its highest total of the season against Echuca Green, on the back of 15 (retired) and 10 (retired) from Finn Archard and Jaxon Collins.
The team finished with 91 runs from its 20 overs, Chase Baumann also contributing at the top of the order.