Nagambie’s Zac Winter-Irving steps out to block a ball during Saturday’s win over Old Students in Haisman Shield.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Nagambie has given an early inkling why it should be included in Cricket Shepparton’s Haisman Shield finals calculations.
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Away to a refreshed Old Students outfit, the Lakers played a tempered innings with the bat and chased down a sturdy total to remain as one of five unbeaten sides after three rounds.
The travellers managed to rein Students in after Callan McCabe and Felix Odell began to put on a clinic and, staring down a target of 189 to win, level heads were needed.
Thankfully for Nagambie, the Lakers had those in spades.
Nagambie’s Jonathan Moore sticks the bat out to block with confidence.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
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Old Students celebrate the wicket of Zac Winter-Irving as he trudges back to the sheds.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
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Nagambie’s Zac Winter-Irving and Jonathan Moore dash between the wickets.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
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Old Students’ Callan McCabe flies through the air during his bowling action.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
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Nagambie’s Zac Winter-Irving and Jonathan Moore chew the fat out in the middle.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
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Old Students’ Felix Odell, Edward Pike and Noah Muir go big with an appeal.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
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Old Students’ Harrison Willaton slings the ball back to the bowler.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
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Nagambie’s Jonathan Moore thinks about heading back for two.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
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Old Students’ Felix Odell and Callan McCabe tinker with the setting of the field.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Mark Nolan was the main crusader as Nagambie bulleted to a five-wicket win with seven overs remaining, leaving playing coach Zac Winter-Irving stoked with another result logged in the wins column.
“I think it was a pretty even contest throughout most of the day and then to chase down that total pretty convincingly, I’m very pleased with it,” he said.
“We were pretty confident to give ourselves the time, the deck flattened out a bit and batting only got easier as we got on.
“To have wickets in hand and bat all our overs out was pretty key.”
Students skipper McCabe top scored with 73 (five boundaries), making it through to the 40th over before James Auld removed him, while Ed Pike slashed a rapid 32 off 25 balls during the hosts’ post.
Odell (36 runs) was another to impact the scoreboard during Students’ 9-188 innings, leaving Nagambie with a fair old chase ahead.
The Lakers lost their coach early for five runs and, despite a dangerous start, Jonathan Moore fell in the same over as Mitch Winter-Irving to send a tendril of doubt bolting into the visitors’ camp.
However, that was batted away immediately once James Wilson and Mark Nolan got cracking, expertly manoeuvring their side out of trouble with hard running and savvy shot selection.
Both eventually met their demise, but not before Nolan had raised the bat, his 64 coming in clutch — as did Tom Barnes with an extravagant maximum to win the game.
Winter-Irving saved praise for Nolan, undoubtedly one of the competition’s premier cricketers, in the wake of a sublime game-turning innings, while also lauding two of the Lakers’ green talents.
“It was really good to see him (Nolan) back at his best ... he was manipulating the field and it was a really good innings by him,” he said.
“He was probably a bit disappointed he didn’t get right through there, but it was a top effort by him and (it’s) good to see him back in some form with the bat.
“Young Will O’Brien and James Auld, a couple of young fellas, it was good to see them get the result on the weekend.
“They’ve done a good job for us; it can be pretty hard bowling into the wind or even coming in at first and second change, so it was really good to see them get the results.”
THE GAME
Old Students 9-188 (Callan McCabe 73, Felix Odell 36, James Auld 2-27) lt Nagambie 5-191 (Mark Nolan 64, James Wilson 39, Ed Pike 2-22)
STAR PLAYER
Mark Nolan (Nagambie): Nolan was more known for his wrecking form with the ball last season, but after a pair of starts in the opening two games, the skilled dual talent was finally able to convert one into a half-century — and boy, did it prove needed chasing a strong total.
