A titan innings on day one from Cobram’s opening blade has catapulted the Tigers into a position of command against Katunga in the Murray Valley Cricket Association A-grade comp.
Hyde found an opportune time to cash in with his maiden century and career-high score ‒ doubling as the best individual innings in the MVCA this season ‒ as Cobram made a whopping 5-380, the opening batter contributing 145 of those precious runs.
The artful right-hander stitched an 81-run opening stand with Bodey Webb, who was dismissed 10 runs shy of a half-century, and Katunga had another breakthrough not long after when Jimmy Daniel departed for eight off Hamish McGregor’s bowling.
But that was where the joy just about stopped for the Swans.
Hyde forged a strong bond with Shaun Downie as Cobram continued to pile on the pain, reaching 2-183 before Downie met his end on 43.
From there, Adam De Cicco entered the fray and showed he’s just as comfortable off the stick as with the new ball, plastering the pill around Cobram Showgrounds as Hyde also started to open the shoulders.
The duo piled on 113 runs together in less than 20 overs before Hyde finally holed out, Ethan Davies stopping the damaging opener five runs off a treble bat raise.
Daniel Ellis succumbed the next over for two runs, but De Cicco (89 not-out) and Tyron Baden (33 not-out) kept punching to see Cobram reach its second gigantic total in as many weeks.
Respite was few and far between for Katunga, but praise must go to McGregor, who bowled a whopping 29 overs for a return of 1-84.
From a classy batting performance to its bowling equivalent, Barooga was on fire with the red rock against a stunned Tocumwal opposition on Saturday.
The hosting Bloods batted first and, bar a couple of middle order starts, were exposed by Barooga’s bowling brigade as the Hawks skittled them for 80.
Mitchell Richmann was the most profitable Hawk, netting 3-19, while Riyaad Henry, Cody Bowden and Jonathon Oliver each bagged two wickets.
Barooga then raced to 8-155 before declaring as Hugh Sutton (46 runs) and Crue Lucas (44) stood and delivered, before sending the Bloods back in to bat.
And boy did that pay off.
Tocumwal’s top four each departed for a duck, seeing the hosts at sixes and sevens at 4-2 before Tom White (six not-out) and Andrew Arthur (four not-out) regained some stability.
The Bloods will resume at 5-21 on day two, with a miraculous batting performance required to avoid an outright defeat.
And in the other game of the round, Katamatite remains well poised to strip points from Deniliquin Rhinos following a tight-lipped day one.
Katty was trundling along nicely at 3-142 until Ewan Wilson exited 11 short of a ton, triggering a slide that saw the visiting side lose 7-26, barrelled out for 168.
Rhino Rory Bartlett reaped 5-36 and found himself on a hat-trick twice, the second opportunity still alive as his fifth wicket came on the final ball of the innings.
However, Deniliquin is in strife having lost 4-25 at the back end of the day and trailing Katamatite by 143 runs, with the travellers holding all the marbles by stumps.
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