Liam Edge was sitting comfortable in the pavilion after nine overs of Rochester’s Goulburn Murray Cricket Under-16 run chase against Moama on Saturday.
Rochester was chasing 147 for victory in the two-day format match and with openers Matt Harrington and Ethan Howard putting 30 on the board the chase started well.
Howard was removed for nine in the 10th over, then three successive maiden overs caused frustration to the point that Rochester lost its next three wickets for 21 runs to be 4-51 in the 30th over.
With 10 overs to score 96 runs the Rochester team was up against it and, apart from Edge and Lachan Joyce failed to make an impact.
Edge struck four boundaries and faced 55 deliveries in his 40-run total, while Joyce (11) shared in a 34 run stand with him by facing 31 deliveries and striking two boundaries.
Joyce and Will Broucek were dismissed within three deliveries of one another and Rochester fell 25 runs shy of its target as Aidan Roulston and Jordy Rasmussen finished unbeaten at the wicket.
In the final round of the pre-Christmas period Rochester has a one day match with Kyabram Fire Brigade, needing a win to stay in touch with the top half of the eight team competition.
– Rochester was on track to dominate its top-of-the-table match with Kyabram Fire Brigade in Goulburn Murray Cricket’s Under-14 competition before a late innings recovery swayed the contest in Fire Birgade’s favour.
The match is now evenly poised after day one of the contest, the 26.4 over tally of 162 for the Kyabram team a target within reach of the Rochester unit.
Rochester Captain Sadie Martin combiend with Ben Hewes and Judd Cuttriss to have Fire Brigade 4-11 in the fifth over before “son of a gun’’ Tayte Newman (son of Paul) led a resurgence.
At 5-36 Rochester remained in control before the final before some big overs took the Fire Brigade tally to 7-144.
Martin returned to bowl in tandem with Hewes and Harry Rasmussen to remove the final three batsmen for the addition of only 18 runs.
Martin finished with figures of 4-23 from 3.4 overs, while Hewes (2-8 from four) and Cuttriss (2-12 from four) played supporting roles.
– After winning the toss at Moon Oval last week Kyabram Fire Brigade White decided to bat against Rochester Blue.
The innings lasted only 17.5 overs as the undermanned Kyabram team was all out for 59.
Five Rochester bowlers took one wicket apiece, with Patrick O’Sullivan and Orly Cuttriss the most economical.
In the run chase Judd Cuttriss and Archie Watson dominated at the top of the order. Cuttriss was 32 not out after striking six boundaries from his 16 deliveries, while Watson was unbeaten on 24 from his 15 deliveries.
Cuttriss now has 121 runs from three Under-12 innings.
Rochester lost its four wickets for 21 runs once the openers had retired, but Declan Carmichael (not out 13 from 19 deliveries) held up the Fire Brigade recovery.
Rochester finished with 4-117 from its 20 overs.
– Rochester Gold’s run chase against Moama fell 13 runs short when only Asher Rasmussen offered batting resistance.
Moama White was restricted to 2-74 in its innings as Cooper and Asher Rasmussen took one wicket each.
Asher then produced a spectacular 14-delivery innings that reaped three boundaries and three sixes in an unbeaten 39 run total.
No other Rochester batter managed to reach double figures.
SCOREBOARD
Under-16: Moama 9-146 d Rochester 121; Tongala 4-182 d Cooma 7-128; Echuca 3-158 d Bamawm Lockington United 7-157; Kyabram Fire Brigade 2-192 d Echuca South 5-92.
Under-14: Echuca Green 134 v Moama Black; Kyabram 112 v Kyabram Fire Brigade Flames; Kyabram Fire Brigade Red 162 v Rochester; Moama White 8-141 v Bamawm Lockington United; Echuca White 197 v Cohuna Nondies; Kyabram Fire Brigade White 172 v Tongala.
Under-12: Echuca White 2-53 d Bamawm Lockington United; Echuca South 2-57 d Leitchville-Gunbower 2-43; Kyabram Black 3-124 d Kyabram Fire Brigade Red 115; Moama White 2-74 d Rochester Gold 61; Moama Black 4-68 d Echuca Green 53; Rochester Blue 4-117 d Kyabram Fire Brigade White 59.
Under-14 girls: Echuca Stars 5-70 d Moama Rochester 5-70; Kyabam Fire Brigade Flamettes 2-120 d Cohuna 49.