Waaia proved it is the real deal this season with a statement win over one of the other Haisman Shield contenders on Saturday.
The Bombers, back from a week’s rest, levelled Nagambie’s order with a compelling bowling performance while chalking up their first 200-plus run total for the season.
Standout efforts from Brayden Carey (67 runs), Reinhardt Engler (63 runs) and Jesse Trower (four wickets) lifted Waaia to the six points and into an esteemed company, joining Katandra and Central Park-St Brendan’s as the only other unbeaten sides four rounds in.
The Bombers’ intent was evident from the off.
Carey and Sam Trower were sent into the middle after Nagambie won the toss, making it past 50 before the latter edged one behind to Luke Nolan lurking behind the stumps.
Carey found the hands of fellow Nolan sibling, Mark, to walk after making his run-a-ball 67.
THE GAME
Waaia 7-210 (B Carey 67, R Engler 63, J Auld 2-16) d Nagambie 108 (B Tarran 25, J Trower 4-15, M Cleeland 2-10)
STAR PLAYER
Jesse Trower (Waaia): Trower outfoxed both of Nagambie’s openers early doors to give his side the ascendancy against a good batting outfit. He then backed it up by cleaning up the tail and killing the game dead 10 overs shy of the total 45.
South African import Quinton Venter was sent packing for an 11-ball duck shortly after, but there to pick up the slack was his countryman Engler.
Engler smashed eight fours and a six during a hefty partnership with Mitch Cleeland (38 runs) to draw Waaia close to 200, and the rest was left up to the tail end as the Bombers pushed through to 7-210.
Nagambie was razed on the chase before it could even get near the target.
The Lakers had lost opening three James Auld, Blair Taylor-Lloyd and Luke Nolan for 16 runs, and bad turned to worse at 6-51 as the rest of the top six departed with less than a quarter of the required runs banked.
Benjamin Tarran showed some fight with a hard-earned 25, but Nagambie’s hopes were dashed near the bitter end.
Trower’s 4-15 is his best return this season, while Cleeland chimed in with 2-10 which included the prized scalps of Mark Nolan and Mitch Winter-Irving.
For Nagambie, Nathan Fothergill, Josh Sanderson and Auld collected two wickets apiece in the 102-run loss.