Saturday Sundries are all the extra highlights from the weekend’s lower-grade cricket — from the top run-scorer to the best bowling figures and anything else of interest from the district grounds.
To make sure we don’t miss any classic moments, why not message Shepparton News Sport on social media or email us at sport@sheppnews.com.au
Below are some of the highlights from Saturday’s action you may have missed.
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Party time: Mooroopna celebrates a wicket. Photo by Aydin PayneImage 2 of 7
Lining up: Northerners' Garrick Rogers. Photo by Aydin PayneImage 3 of 7
Sending it down: Mooroopna's Lloyd Payne. Photo by Aydin PayneImage 4 of 7
Focus: Mooroopna's Xavier Moon. Photo by Aydin PayneImage 5 of 7
Chat time: Northerners' Shane Lines and Garrick Rogers. Photo by Aydin PayneImage 6 of 7
Bend the knees: Northerners' Jason Wisely. Photo by Aydin PayneImage 7 of 7
Fielding a plan: Mooroopna's Dylan Demaria. Photo by Aydin PayneLike clockwork
There’s an age-old adage in cricketing circles that in any tight run chase there will always be a run-out on offer.
Some days it can feel like simply a mantra bandied about by the fielding team to keep itself interested.
But on Saturday at Victory Park, it was a run-out which completed a tight win for Northerners in Cricket Shepparton D-grade action.
The Jets, facing Mooroopna at the ‘‘House of Pain’’, posted a middling 146 all-out after winning the toss and batting first.
But despite some consistent inroads with the ball, the Cats still found themselves cruising at 5-107.
Hearts were undoubtedly beating a bit faster when the scoreboard read 9-122 a short time later though, and despite Xavier Moon and Ayden Smith’s best efforts — the duo put on 21 for the final wicket — a bit of quick work from Jason Wisely in the field on the penultimate delivery of the match had Moon short of his ground and the Jets soaring to a three-run win.
News sports editor Aydin Payne had his photography hat on at the weekend and was at the game to capture some of the action.
Challenger emerges
Victory Park’s claim to the title of ‘‘House of Pain’’ may be slipping, with a new challenger emerging in recent weeks.
Kialla Park Reserve’s hard wicket has given up four individual tons and just short of 1100 runs across the past two C-grade matches hosted at the venue.
This week it was Old Students’ Ryan Boswell who crunched a 76-ball 109 — which included eight maximums and 10 other boundaries — before Karramomus’ Shahidul Chowdhury went one better with his unbeaten 119 from 92 deliveries.
The Bloods hit 24 fours and six sixes in a successful pursuit of 242 for victory — with 18 and two of them coming from Chowdhury’s bat respectively after he strode to the crease with his side in trouble at 4-45.
Raise the ball
A handful of bowlers were able to collect the game ball from their captain’s bag at the end of the day on Saturday across the lower grades.
Shepparton United’s Tirath Ram claimed 5-28 in a B-grade defeat to Central Park-St Brendan’s, while Mooroopna’s Damon Zampaglione claimed 5-30 in a victory for his side over Waaia.
It was the latter’s second five-wicket haul in as many matches.
United’s Mel Saunders (5-3 from four overs in D-grade) and Mooroopna’s Brett Child (5-7 from eight in E-grade) were as miserly as they were dangerous will ball in hand.