For the second time in as many games, Echuca South has posted a total over 200 for their opponents to chase. And unsurprisingly, both matches have resulted in victory.
On the flip-side, Tongala continues a winless run in the 2024-25 McMahon Shield, with the Blues now in a battle with Nondies-Cohuna for the wooden spoon at summer’s end.
With conditions favouring the bat, Echuca South won the toss and elected to get enough runs on the board to wash away Tonny.
Yet, the Blues had other ideas, striking early through Lachlan Caldwell, who broke through with the wicket of Clayton Watson for a duck.
Captain Jayden Rosin and vice-captain Asantha Singappuli compiled a nice 53-run partnership before the latter was caught by Mackenzie Cowley for 7.
Rosin’s whirlwind 47-run knock came to an end shortly after, when he was bowled by a Darin Ohlsen beauty on the cusp of a half-century.
Alarm bells started to ring for the Swans who were down three wickets for 69 runs, but they were bailed out by Rathika Rajakumara and Tristan Watson.
The pair combined for a game-changing 103-run partnership, taking the game away from Tongala through 33 overs, before Tristan Watson was caught by Mitchell Cornwall for 41.
Grady Smith only squeezed out a single before he was bowled by Cornwall, and suddenly the Blues were back in the game.
Tonny was able to wrestle back momentum in a nice stretch of play, Alex Williams coming up big for his side by dismissing Rajakumara via lbw for 64.
Nicholas McKenner added a handy 20 runs to the total before he was caught by Adam Nunn, yet the damage was already done, with the hosts well past 200.
AK Gunathilaka was the last wicket to fall, an over before the innings break, being bowled by Darin Ohlsen for 6.
The Swans ended their stint with the bat at 8-236, setting Tonny a mammoth task for victory.
Unfortunately, the Blues got off to a rocky start, opener Jayden Tucker was trapped lbw by Jayden Rosin in the fifth over for seven while captain Alex Williams was caught and bowled by Ben Eade the following over for four.
The visitors were now 2-11 in six overs and firmly on the back foot.
Keegan Miller and Darin Ohlsen provided some resistance for the Blues, putting on 35 between them before Ohlsen was drawn into taking on spinner Singappuli and was promptly stumped by Grady Smith for 17.
Luke Smith added just two to the total before he was given out lbw at the hands of AK Gunathilaka.
Smith wasn’t out of the action long before danger man Keagan Miller feathered one through to him, departing for 28.
As fast as the Blues could recover, suddenly they were 5-89 with 147 runs still needed for victory in 25 overs.
Mackenzie Cowley looked promising with Adam Nunn, but ultimately fell to Gunathilaka for 14, bringing Matt Ohlsen to the crease.
The combination of Nunn and Ohlsen proved to be effective for Tonny as the two developed a 41-run stand for the seventh wicket.
On the stroke of his half-century, the Blues’ hero Adam Nunn was caught by Rajakumara off Rosin’s bowling, he and Tonny’s chances for victory seemingly leaving the ground for 49.
With the game realistically unreachable, the Blues still got close as they could, with Kade Northausen caught by Nicholas McKenner while attempting to go the distance.
Matt Ohlsen’s unbeaten 35 was a testament to his skill as a lower-order batsman, and for a brief moment his partnership with Nunn looked threatening to pull off an all-time chase.
Yet, it wasn’t meant to be for the Blues, who ended their innings at 8-175.
Echuca South has earned themselves the bye in round six, while Tongala will look to notch a first win of the season against L-G next week.
The Game
Echuca South 8-236 (Rathika Rajakumara 64, Jayden Rosin 47, Tristan Watson 41) defeated Tongala (Adam Nunn 49, Matt Ohlsen 35 not-out)