You could start with the fact that Mooroopna and Old Students were both winless coming into this round four encounter despite some gallant outings, though the latter already had a bye.
Then, obviously, came the unfamiliar surroundings of Murchison Recreation Reserve, hosting this affair on neutral ground due to the unavailability of Mooroopna Recreation Reserve with the Australian Football Skool’s Shepparton Cup on this weekend.
Nonetheless, a simply vital set of points was on the line for the winner and it was the Students who got straight to work off the back of Felix Odell after the Cats sent them in.
Odell produced some beautifully-crafted shots, going to the rope on no fewer than 10 occasions after coming in at first drop and earning his raise of the bat.
Once Joel May finally knocked his stumps over on 63, it was damage control from there for the ‘home’ side, with another solid contributor in Luke McPhillamy undone by a catch from A-grade debutant Sai Rajiv Gudavalli.
With four Mooroopna bowlers claiming multiple wickets, it was an all hands on deck effort to knock the tail end down and provide a still-achievable magic number of 155.
THE GAME
Mooroopna 4-157 (Brodie McDonald 81*, Sai Rajiv Gudavalli 39, Callan McCabe 1-17) d Old Students 154 (Felix Odell 63, Luke McPhillamy 25, Jack Gaskill 3-22)
STAR PLAYER
Brodie McDonald (Mooroopna): It was a total team effort, as Barrow alluded to after the game, but who else could truly take the honours? McDonald did the hard yards and provided explosiveness when needed, dishing out the damage as he pleased and forming a massive part of this first win for the Cats.
May threatened to do some damage with a pair of early boundaries in opening the chase before Jamie Carr emphatically snuffed out those flames.
All that did, though, was bring the debuting Gudavalli in for a taste of the action — and he sure took his first opportunity.
Notching four fours of his own, Gudavalli strode with confidence and compiled a more than acceptable first-up 39 to power the Cats along.
However, it was Brodie McDonald who stole the headlines after coming in at five, having slotted in the four-hole across the first three rounds.
McDonald was destructive, simply decimating any and all comers — to all parts of the green and gold territory that he owned for this moment.
Six fours and three sixes were among the highlights as McDonald’s unbeaten 81 eventually soldiered the Cats home for a win to savour at last, prevailing by six wickets.
It was certainly a monkey off the back of Mooroopna coach Henry Barrow, tasting his first win in charge.
“We’ve played three of the strongest sides early doors and we’ve been in the game for a lot of them,” Barrow said.
“Today was an all-around performance where we got what we deserved from it; it was complete.
“That’s what we’ve been missing is one of our top five going on to a 50 or a 60-70. Sai’s knock and then Brodie with 80-odd not out put us in total control.
“We know we have the talent in the top order, but Old Students are a good side with a good bowling line-up.
“We’ve still got a lot to work on, but it’s a good win and it’s nice to get off the mark.”
It’s an interesting test awaiting the Cats this weekend against an unbeaten Nagambie side coming off the bye.
Barrow was keen to pay his respects to the host club which took duties on board Saturday.
“I have to give a huge thank you to Murchison for putting this on for us,” Barrow said.
“They gave it a really good wicket which had a lot in it for the bowlers early.
“There was real value for your runs and it’s a good track here, so we’re very thankful.
“Nagambie’s one of those sides that’s always in it at the pointy end of things, but going into it off the back of a win is huge for us.
“We’ve got the quality to give anyone in the league trouble.”
