Scorching Thursday set to feature more sizzle thanks to Cricket Shepparton’s Higher-grade T20 competition

While the majority of round one Higher-grade matches will be played on November 28, tomorrow’s opener will give T20 fans across the region a tasty appetiser for some high-class short-form cricket.

Thursday’s match is set to be an enthralling contest between Pine Lodge and Euroa.

Both sides are yet to claim an A-grade victory this season and will be desperate to secure a T20 scalp against their lower ladder rivals.

The game is scheduled for 5pm at Lemnos Recreation Reserve, with Pine Lodge player-coach Travis Waters eager for his side to secure its debut A-grade win on home turf.

“We have been competitive in games and we have also come across some of the better sides and Euroa have as well,” Waters said.

“It is a little bit of the unknown with what to expect from (Euroa).

“We are looking forward to having some pressure off and just going out there to have fun.”

Waters expects only one change to occur from Pine Lodge’s last A-grade side, with young batter Tom Phillips expected to make his A-grade debut.

With Thursday’s weather forecast to be in the mid-30s, one Lodger you can expect to make an impact is sizzling quick Tiron Fernando.

The opening bowler has been one of the best performers in the A-grade competition this season, taking 16 wickets (tied for second most in the league).

However, Waters said the Lodgers were not just a one-man band when it comes to their impressive bowling fleet.

“Ryan Kearney is one (who has impressed),” he said.

“He has had a pretty good start to the season and on his day he is hard to play.

“Another one is Darshana Prasad, he is another one who has played a lot of T20 cricket.

“He hurt his hamstring in round one, so he has had a slow process back to fitness.

“He can bat and bowl some good overs in T20s, he is a good little medium-pace bowler.”

For the Magpies, bowling all-rounder Cohen Paul looms as a dangerous proposition for the Lodgers.

Euroa coach Andrew Squires said the club was excited to give its young players more leadership responsibility during the T20 matches.

“We haven’t played (Pine Lodge) before, so it will be a new challenge for us,” Squires said.

“Looking through their recent matches, they appear to be reliant on their top-order bowlers, so it will be interesting to see how they go.

“We have a couple of young blokes who really enjoy this format, so we will be giving them leadership roles in the T20 and more opportunities.

“Vaughan Kirk and Will Jackson will be captaining the side, which will be really good for their development.”

The Magpies have had a tough start to the 2024-25 season, losing their first six matches.

However, Squires isn’t too concerned, instead, he is focusing on the bright sparks of youth that are emerging in the A-grade side.

“We have been missing a lot of our bowlers due to injuries, holidays, work and stuff like that,” he said.

“We have relied on a few young blokes to lead our bowling attack and they have done so well.

“Walter Jackson has had a really good start to the year, he is only a 16-year-old and his development has gone through the roof.

“Ollie Swain, he has taken the new ball for us for three games in A-grade and has done a fantastic job.

“Ollie Wilson is only 14 years old and he is someone to keep an eye on in the future.”