A weakened Kyabram Fire Brigade side scored a famous win in Goulburn Murray Cricket John McMahon Shield action on Saturday with a thumping nine-wicket demolition of Nondies Cohuna.
Batting gun Paul Newman and experienced all rounders Kaine Herbert and Brenton Sheppard were all unavailable for the trip north but a rising star and a club stalwart stepped up to steal the show and steer The Flames to a resounding win with three overs to spare.
Young opener Miller Griffiths finished with an unbeaten 53, with five fours, and Brett Andison clubbed 10 boundaries in his knock of 53 not out as the visitors reached an impressive 1-142.
Griffiths and new recruit Tim Nelson, who made 22, got The Flames away to a positive start before Andison joined Griffiths and picked off the runs needed to win without the loss of another wicket in a morale boosting win.
Nondies Cohuna elected to bat after winning the toss but were under pressure from the start with their openers out for a duck and one.
They finally mustered 141 off 42.5 overs with Zeb Ellwood (31), Broden Wishart (29) and Matt Noonan contributing the bulk of the runs.
The Flames opening bowlers, skipper Rob Salter and Tom Owen both picked up three wickets along with one of their talented younger players Bohden Learmonth.
Salter was again very economical conceding just nine runs off his eight overs.
The Flames face a tougher test this week when they take on another unbeaten side, Rochester.
X After toppling Nondies Echuca in the opening round Rochester’s made it two in a row despite a batting collapse against Echuca South who bowled out the home side in 35 overs for just 119.
But in reply Echuca South crumbled to be out for just 97 in 32 overs as opening bowlers Myles Wade and Adam Ward turned the trend of the game.
Wade captured 4-28 off nine overs and Ward 2-11 off nine overs from which the South batsmen never recovered.
Opener Jaydin Rosin and Ben Eade were South’s top scorers with 14 in the surrender.
X Echuca posted 7-196 which was enough to account for Leitchville-Gunbower who put up a commendable fight to reach 9-169 with Simon Tatt (35) and opener Jasper Wilson-Keir (33) the chief run makers.
Charlie Hinks with 4-31 off nine overs was the pick of the Echuca bowlers.
Earlier Echuca openers Curtis Townrow (42) and Brendan Moyle (36) shared a stand of 49 before Kobyn James (41) and James Grixti (23) continued the run flow and steered their team to 7-196.
X Moama bounced back from an opening loss to thrash Bamawm-Lockington United, who had downed reigning premier Echuca in the opening round.
Winning the toss and batting in the game at Bamawm, Moama’s bowlers led by Matt Saunders with 4-11 bowled the home side out in 35.3 overs for just 96.
Only three BLU batsmen made it to double figures with Josh Cairns’ 18 the top score.
In reply Moama’s batsmen, led by openers Michael Hill and Russell Stockdale, picked off the 50 of the 97 runs needed to win.
Hill blasted nine fours on his way to making 64 off 51 balls and was at the crease while 93 of the 97 runs needed to win the game were made.
B-GRADE
In the first round of the Bill Williams division one B-grade competition Trevor Watts with an unbeaten 80 helped Fire Brigade make a competitive 166 against Colbinabbin.
But The Flames came up short with the Colbo batsmen, led by Brian Dwyer with as unbeaten half century and openers Fletcher Wright (34) and Coby Dunlop (18), Daniel Morgan (32) and Riordan McIvor (17 not out) steering their side to 4-170 and victory in 39.4 overs.
In Fire Brigade’s innings Watts got most support from young Charlie Pekin who made an impressive 30.
X Stanhope could muster only 87 runs against Echuca with Luke Twynstra’s 19 the top score.
Echuca replied with 5/88 off 30.2 overs.
X Josh Francis stepped up with the bat for Rushworth who posted a winning total of 8-158 against Moama.
His aggressive knock of 68 off 60 balls contained 12 boundaries.
At one stage 2-79 in reply Moama’s batsmen then crumbled to be out for 112 as Tom Stevens with a matchwinning 6-21 off nine overs bowled Rushworth to an easy win .
X Elmore responded to BLU’s 103 with 2-104 off 19.2 overs with a dashing knock of 83 not out off 61 deliveries which included 16 fours from skipper James Harney delivering an easy win for the home side.
X In division two experienced Adam Nunn with 62 helped Tongala reach 9-152 against Leitchville-Gunbower who could manage only 118 in reply.
Scott Lucas (58) and Jasper Hare (24) raised hopes of a LG win with a second wicket stand of 68 but the wheels fell off after their dismissals.
X Chasing 151 against Nondies Echuca, Girgarre was up to the task, replying with 8-152, mainly due to opener Leigh Kempinski (46) Billy Gahan (39) and some late heroics from Simon Tomasini (13 not out ) and Jett Guiney (12 not out).
X Cooma posted 139 against Echuca South with Archer Backway top scoring with 26.
In reply South rounded up Cooma’s score in 34.4 overs for the loss of five wickets, three of which were taken by Jack Norris.
X In the other game Rochester’s 6-159 proved out of reach for Moama, dismissed for 128.