Gallery | Cricket Shepparton Invitational XI smoke International XI in fearless Festival of Cricket performance

The overseas products would win the toss and elect to bat following the opening women’s match at the Festival of Cricket, but the influence of Invitational XI’s star performer Tyler Green would begin nearly instantly.

Following a couple of nervous shots and a couple of more with confidence, Jake Callow would be bowled a peach on the final ball of Lachie Keady’s over, taking Callow’s inside edge, caught by Green, to render the 2025 victors 1-6.

Pine Lodge’s Dylan Hardy would take to the crease and deliver a hearty 41 off 51 as first drop, but in between his resistance, Emile Haratbar would fall to a sharp catch by Green, diving to his right with both arms outstretched.

Mooroopna’s Cyrus Shafi couldn’t believe his luck – or lack thereof – when Hardy punched a shot aerially and paceman Sam Green got a hand to the ball, ultimately directing the Kookaburra’s trajectory into the stumps with Shafi a quarter of the way down the pitch, ready to push for a single.

Kiran Green fought admirably in the middle before being bowled by Corey Hickford attempting to slog, which was soon followed by Hardy heaving to the leg side to push up the run rate, but was instead caught in the field.

Sebastian Menzhausen chopped on, while Edward Pike went out from a lofted drive caught in the deep, leading the International XI to a score of 7-128 off its 20 overs.

It didn’t take long for the Invitational XI, no longer bound to an under-23 restriction, to end the competitiveness of the contest.

The technical home side pushed the run rate high quickly, racing away to a 50-run partnership by the fifth over.

It would take 12.2 overs until the first wicket dropped, with a bit of Louis Sabbagh-Holt skid getting through Mitchell McGrath’s gate to bowl the Karramomus bat, but six balls later International XI would be reminded of its perilous position as Tyler Green crossed the 50-run mark, pumping his fist to teammates on the boundary line.

From there it was time to go guns blazing for the SYCU returnee.

Green took Sabbagh-Holt for two fours and a six in the 15th over, before reverse sweeping a four and a single to all but seal the deal, with a wide bowled at the start of the 17th over to end the clash.

Green threw praises to his team for its work in the field to allow him the freedom to bat towards an individual total of 72 off 47 deliveries.

“It’s just good to get one out of the middle,” Green said light-heartedly post-game.

“But it’s obviously not just me, the win is for the whole team, so to go and do that for the team (was nice).”

The wicketkeeper also advocated for the exhibition match, which was the only game that featured Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield talent following another interrupted weekend, with Green’s club SYCU the host and promoter of the event.

“It’s really good, this is my first year back at the club and I love it,” Green said.

“It’s such a good organisation and to put this on today ... it’s good for the community.

“A hit-out is good for the boys, but obviously we can’t do much about the bushfires or heat and things like that.”

One-day red ball fixtures are scheduled for round nine on Saturday, with Green’s SYCU taking on Numurkah with hopes of a second win for the season to come.