Five mini-ovals were created on Tongala Recreation Reserve on Sunday for the fourth round of Goulburn Murray Cricket’s Master Blaster competition.
Kyabram Fire Brigade and Tongala were joined by four Moama Cricket Club teams, along with teams from Rushworth, Rochester, Echuca and Bamawm-Lockington.
Played on grass using modified rules and equipment the levels of enthusiasm were unparalleled as players were given the opportunity to bat and bowl against the opposition that ranged in age from as young as six and seven to nine.
Rounds had already been contested at Moama, Northern Oval at Kyabram and Rushworth — action everywhere as the five games were conducted simultaneously.
Rochester’s Windridge Oval will host round five and there are three more rounds to contest before the Christmas break — at Bamawm, Victoria Park Echuca, and (on December 8) the final round returns to Moama.
· Oliver McInnes continues to shine for Kyabram Redbacks’ under-10 team, smashing five boundaries in his 23 retired as the team piled on 164 in 20 overs.
Liam Parsons (20 off 15, with four boundaries and Max McLay (18 off 15, with three boundaries) also contributed strongly, as did Callum Parsons and Jensen Wills at the end of the innings.
McLay was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets in his three overs, while four other players took wickets as they kept their opponent to 64 from 20 overs.
· In the Redbacks Black under-12 game against Euroa, Lacy Parsons and Myles Murphy both took two wickets as the opposition fell two runs shy of triple figures.
In reply Zavier Parsons batted for 29 deliveries, struck three boundaries, and finished 18 not out as Kyabram finished on 2-71 from 20 overs.
Kyabram Redbacks Red had Tyler Nicholson (13 retired) and Liam Parsons (17 not out from 18 deliveries) lead the way in its 98-run total.
Dane Matthews took two wickets and Parsons one as Kyabam kept its opposition to 79 runs from 20 overs.
· Kyabram’s under-14 team, which had been dominant in the grading phase, lost its first game to Nagambie.
Despite Flynn Burrows making 19 retired and Anthony Evans 12 retired the team managed only 5-64 from 20 overs and its opposition scored 5-132.