Tatura well-poised after a Haisman Shield demolition job with the ball at Waaia’s expense

Naturally, Daniel Coombs’ men made the trip north to Waaia Recreation Reserve and set about proving that they were not about to be cast aside once it came time to face the top sides.

It didn’t take them long to deliver the message — more specifically, Chaz Cheatley as an especially potent harbinger.

It was skipper Jayden Armstrong who made the first breakthrough, further compounding the woes of star Bombers recruit Liam Evans as he trudged to the sheds for a 14-ball duck.

However, just shy of 40 more overs a simply bamboozling display from Cheatley had the Bombers’ free-scoring bats ripped to shreds in stunning style.

It was a showcase in bowling wizardry, bending Waaia’s line-up to his every will and command in an astonishing spell which yielded figures of 8-28 — which is going to prove mighty difficult to top in A-grade this season.

Waaia captain Mitch Cleeland was, as he demonstrates almost weekly, a tough nut to crack in building his eventual team-high 31, but even he fell victim to Cheatley’s mind-blowing day out as the Bombers found themselves defending a mere 107.

Now, credit must be afforded to the red and black where due, as it was not one-way traffic the entire day.

Tatura would take its own medicine through a star kept scoreless as Blake Armstrong was sent on his way after four deliveries, courtesy of the man who had endured that same fate earlier on in Evans.

Jesse Trower prowess aside, though, Matthew West’s unbeaten 41 stands as the likely difference as Tatura would reach stumps at 4-61, requiring less than 50 on day two to claim a statement victory.

Coombs acknowledged the job was not yet done, but was overjoyed at the shift put in on the day.

“We’d have taken it all day to bowl them out for anything around 100,” Coombs said.

“It was quick out there and you could be punished, but Chaz bowled brilliantly suiting the wicket perfectly, and we managed to keep on them all the time.

“We’d definitely take that start, but they’ve got good bowlers. We got off to a quick start, but they’ve made it difficult to score from both ends.

“We just need to grind it out and get the result.”

Coombs is certainly hopeful that West, who recently found himself in a News profile, can take the lead and render the rest a mere formality on day two.

“I thought he batted well; he took the singles that were there,” Coombs said.

“Hopefully, he keeps on with it next week and gets us over the line to build on that.

“With wickets in hand, we’d probably be ahead, but cricket’s a funny game and it’ll be on if their good bowlers nick a couple.

“There’s good value for shots and, hopefully, Jayden and Matt can build a partnership, but we just want to get over the line.

“It wasn’t our best performance with the ball last week, but it’s good to bounce back against a consistent batting unit. It’s a good effort even with a bit of assistance from the wicket.”