Deprived by four runs by reigning premier Echuca of its first win in the previous round, Tongala on Saturday came up five runs short in its clash with finals contender Leitchville-Gunbower at Tongala.
Sent into bat, LG posted 7-159, Simon Tatt’s 35 top scoring and receiving most support from Harry Wright (28) and opener and skipper Josh O’Shea (26).
Tongala opening bowlers Alex Williams and Lachlan Caldwell both took two wickets.
In its run chase, several of Tongala’s batters got starts with Adam Nunn top scoring again with 32 and Jayden Tucker (27) and Keagan Miller (22) keeping the team in the game.
But Tongala’s last six bats could muster only 28 runs with Steve Townsend 17 providing most of these runs.
Simon Tatt (3-22) and Blake Gibson and Riley Keath with two wickets each did the damage with the ball for LG, maintaining fourth spot as the season’s halfway point looms.
· A 175-run opening partnership between Brendan Moyle and Kobyn James set up Echuca’s win against Fire Brigade at Kyabram’s Northern Oval.
Moyle hit 96 off as many balls with 12 fours and two sixes, while James scored 75 off 100 deliveries with 10 fours in the opening stand.
Tom Owen with 2-58 off nine overs was the only multiple wicket-taker for the home side.
Without its premier batter Paul Newman, The Flames had a crack when their turn at the batting crease came, reaching a respectable 198.
Skipper Rob Salter top scored with 47 and got most support from Shannon Fleming (29).
Kaine Herbert (28), Cohan Hooper (24) and Bohden Learmonth (19) provided small cameos throughout the innings.
The loss resulted in The Flames slipping from fifth to seventh on the ladder and the team now badly needs a win over Echuca South this Saturday to revive its finals chances.
· Rochester suffered its first loss for the season, with a five-wicket defeat at the hands of Moama, which dismissed the visitor for 127 in 36 overs.
Electing to bat after winning the toss, early signs weren’t encouraging for Rochester with star opener Sean Williams out for a duck.
But Brandon Byrne and Joel Bunce temporarily relieved this early setback with a fighting second-wicket stand of 60.
But when opener Byrne fell for 30 and Bunce departed for a team top score of 43 with five fours and a six, the wheels fell off the Rochester batting.
It’s last eight batters could manage only 39 runs as Moama’s leading wicket-taker Matt Saunders with 4-31 dealing most of the damage with the ball.
Michael Hill and Rishabh Kothari, both with two wickets, crashed through the Rochester middle order and tail end.
In reply, Moama rounded up Rochester’s score in 31.3 overs with Archie Teasedale (39 not out) and Fraser Buchanan (31) showing the way.
· BLU bowled Nondies Cohuna out for a 143 with Jeremy Felmingham and Luke Thompson both claiming two wickets.
With opener Regis Chakabva blasting an unbeaten 72 off 43 balls with nine fours and three sixes and Liam Hamilton smashing 55 with 11 boundaries, LBU had Nondies Cohuna’s score covered in 18.2 overs with seven wickets in hand.
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