Last season’s runner-up, Cobram, has taken full advantage of Barooga’s bye to leap into top position, having beaten Katamatite by five wickets in a low-scoring affair dominated by bowlers at Katamatite Recreation Reserve.
Winning the toss and electing to bowl, Cobram heaped the pressure on Katty’s opening pair of Giordan Lukies and Matt Ward from the outset, and while they made scoring difficult, they were unable to find any way through the defence early on.
Holding out for 11 overs, the Katamatite pair slowly accumulated runs; however, the pressure finally became too much, with Cobram forcing a run out via Bryan Eddy to remove Lukies (4) and have the hosts down 1-23.
Katamatite skipper Oliver Mynard joined Ward at the crease, but his departure soon after for seven kickstarted a collapse, which Katty never really recovered from.
Chase Hardwidge found the breakthrough for Cobram, which left the home side at 2-41, which soon became 3-43 as Noah Sneddon had Ward (22) out caught and bowled in the following over.
Hardwidge then made it three overs in a row that Cobram had taken a wicket, removing Desmond O’Kane for a duck as Katty slumped to 4-46, but it become even more disastrous as Sneddon too followed up in the next set of six, dismissing Ben Lukies (4) as the hosts crumbled to 5-48 in the 20th over.
Sneddon (3-15) found a third wicket in Liam Williams (7) in the 22nd over, as Katamatite sunk to 6-56, as did Hardwidge (3-31) in the 27th, removing Darcy Edis (7) to leave Katty in disarray at 7-64.
Jimmy Daniel (1-5) would snare the final scalp of Archie Erickson as Cobram’s tight line and length continued to cause headaches, and though the home side would make it to the end of the 45 overs without further loss, the damage had already been done, with Katty mustering a total of 8-98 by the end of the innings.
With less than 100 needed for victory, it looked a simple chase on paper for the visitors, but Cobram too ran into issues with the bat as both Jimmy Daniel (4) and Bryan Eddy (7) were removed by Ben Lukies (2-39) early, leaving them two down with only 17 on the board.
Mikael Artavilla-Bennett combined for a 43-run partnership with Adam De Cicco, though, steadying the ship and dragging Cobram to within 39 runs of victory; however, when they both departed within six balls of each other — De Cicco for 11 and Artavilla-Bennett a game-high 31 — to go from 2-60 to 4-65, things once again looked a little shaky for the visitors.
Despite losing a further wicket, unbeaten contributions of nine and 10, respectively, to Shaun Downie and Rakibul Hasan Reday safely saw Cobram across the line for a five-wicket win, pushing the Tigers ahead of Barooga on the ladder at the end of round three, albeit with one extra game played.
Elsewhere, reigning premier Nathalia is on the board after claiming a five-wicket win over Deniliquin at Nathalia Showgrounds.
Asked to bowl after losing the toss, Nathalia proved adept with Kookaburra in hand, as Zander Quinn (3-15) and Scotty Morris (3-38) tore through the Rhinos lineup alongside Ash Quinn (2-24), with only three of the visitors’ batting lineup posting double digit scores as the Rhinos were bowled out for 131 inside 35 overs.
Gus Frostick helmed the chase for Nathalia too, recording a patient 35 not out off 99 deliveries as his side’s top scorer, while both Ash Quinn (31) and Zander Quinn (26) were handy contributors in the eventual five-wicket win.
In the final contest, a revitalised Tocumwal proved too good for Katunga at Tocumwal Recreation Reserve, earning a three-wicket win off the back of a remarkable five-wicket haul to Cooper Harris (5-10) and unbeaten 51 from Lachlan McDonald, ensuring the Bloods reached the required 138 runs for victory with three wickets in hand and 11 balls to spare.
The win also ensures the Bloods already match their tally of wins from last season, having recorded a win and a draw through three rounds to sit third on the ladder, and shape as the biggest surprise packet following a bottom-placed finish last season.
Round four will see Barooga return to action with a road trip to Katunga, Deniliquin will host Tocumwal and Nathalia will host Cobram in a grand final rematch, while Katamatite has the bye.
