Goulburn Murray Cricket has kicked off its Twenty-20 competition, and fans were treated to a phenomenal opening round of action.
A super over was required to separate Echuca South and Moama at Echuca South Recreation Reserve, the Mowers getting the better of the tiebreaker to notch the win.
Russell Stockdale belted 10 off three balls to steer Moama to the win, after the Swans could only set 2-7 in their extra innings.
Earlier, Moama batted first, setting 6-138 as the score to beat for South.
Anthony McMahon played a starring role, scoring 52 from 38, clearing the rope twice and finding it on five occasions.
Fellow opener Stockdale, and number three Fraser Buchanan (both 22) were the main supporting cast in a top-heavy Moama batting effort.
Jayden Rosin (3-35) bowled well for South, also taking a catch, while Ben Eade (1-11), James Valeminck (1-17) and Asantha Singappuli (1-31) each took a wicket.
The Swans’ chase faltered in the opening overs, the top three of Rosin, Valeminck and Singappuli each falling without making a significant score.
The host was soon 4-41 before the partnership of James Barri and Rathika Rajakumara provided some stability.
Barri held the majority of the strike and made good use of it, making 64 from 43 balls to push South towards the target.
Rajakumara retired in the 13th over but was able to return later, Tristan Watson joining Barri in the interim to push the total to 5-128 when Barri finally holed out.
The loss of Watson prompted Rajakumara’s return for the final seven deliveries of the innings and the Swans man put together what could have been remembered as a famous cameo, had the final result swung South’s way.
Facing up to Matt Saunders with two balls remaining and six required to level the scores, Rajakumara scurried through for two on the penultimate delivery before finding the rope with the final ball to bring the Swans to 6-138, an identical innings to Moama.
Rhys Drennan took 3-24 as the best of the Moama bowlers, earning him bowling duties in the super over where he added another two wickets to his haul.
Batting first in the super over, South was unable to find the boundaries, a desperate Barri and Vlaeminck dismissed with the final two balls as South set just seven runs for Moama to claim victory.
Rochester vs Tongala
Rochester started its season on the front foot at Moon Oval, getting past Tongala by 14 runs.
Jake Wright held together the Rochester innings from the top, making 46 from 33, while Angus Martin (15), Dylan Cuttriss (12) and Matthew Harrington (12) weren’t able to go on with their starts as Rochester posted an all-out 121.
Louis Sabbagh-Holt (3-16) had a trio of breakthroughs for Tonny, while Alex Williams (2-21) and Jessie Johnstone (2-32) also bowled well.
Tongala’s T20 batting order did its best impression of the Blues’ McMahon Shield side, showing resilience at the crease but being unable to muster the required runs.
Williams (23) was stable at the top of the order and Jayden Tucker was looking good to finish not out on 41, but will rue not connecting more cleanly in the final few overs as his side fell 14 runs short.
With 15 balls to go, the Blues required 24 with three wickets in the sheds, but while Tucker and Sabbagh-Holt were able to preserve their wicket, they could only add 10 runs at the death.
Jesse Cuttriss (3-23) did damage with the ball, while Myles Wade delivered a miserly 1-12 from his four overs.
BLU vs Nondies
Before their clash in the McMahon Shield at the weekend, Bamawm-Lockington United and Nondies-Cohuna warmed up with a T20 fixture, the hosting Lions’ bowlers the heroes as their side won by five wickets.
Batting first, the Nondies innings was centred around Jake Klemm, whose brilliant 59 off 50 balls provided the go forward the visitor required.
In contrast, his teammates at the other end couldn’t break through the BLU field and Nondies finished at just 3-99 from their 20 overs.
Lucas Holgate (2-9) was the strike man for BLU in his two overs, while Savith Weerasinghe was the epitome of defensive bowling, giving up only 10 runs in four overs.
Captain Regis Chakabva started the BLU run chase off at pace, making a quickfire 21 from nine before Luke Thompson and Weerasinghe picked up the slack in the middle order.
The two added 40 as a pair, Thompson finishing not out on 24 while Weerasinghe made 20, BLU reaching 5-100 in 15.5 overs.
Shaun Haffenden was the pick of the bowlers for Nondies, taking 2-25.
On Thursday, Nondies-Cohuna will take on Leitchville-Gunbower, Kyabram Fire Brigade will face Rochester and Echuca and Echuca South will square off as the T20 competition continues.