Saturday Sundries | A female phenom headlines the season’s first lower grade highlights
Drop in wickets, spring-loaded stumps and ringers on speed dial - the glorious suite of Cricket Shepparton’s lower grades are back in play bar E-grade, and we’re here for it.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Saturday Sundries are all the extra highlights from the weekend’s lower grade cricket — from the top run-scorer to the best bowling figures and anything else of interest from across the district’s grounds.
To make sure we don’t miss any classic moments, why not message Shepparton News Sport on social media or email us at sport@sheppnews.com.au
News photographer Rechelle Zammit was behind the lens as Old Students staved off Mooroopna’s challenge for a two-wicket win in the Jim McGregor Shield.
Image 1 of 6
Old Student's bowler Clayton Cullen lets one fly at 12 o’clock. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 2 of 6
Mooroopna batter Mark Nolen prods one through the on side. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 3 of 6
Old Student's bowler Kuldeep Achint claims the rock at the top of his mark. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 4 of 6
Mooroopna batter Matt Creaney swings for the fences. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 5 of 6
Mooroopna’s Dylan De Maria looks to feather one off the pads. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 6 of 6
Old Student's wicket-keeper Jagdeep Singh holds onto a loose delivery. Photo by Rechelle ZammitAsh’s on fire
If there was ever a cricket equivalent of the cult classic film She’s the Man made, we’ve found the leading lady.
Invergordon’s C-graders were locked in a high-scoring stoush with Karramomus at the weekend, and when the run rate started ticking up, the Hawks needed a hero to start crashing castles.
Cue Ashleigh Murdoch.
The female phenom went berserk with the ball, snaring 6-29 off seven overs to clot the Bloods’ flow and keep Karramomus to 227.
Invergordon’s batting brigade honoured Murdoch with a five-wicket victory, making her individual performance one of - if not - the best female showings in a male Cricket Shepparton competition.
One man band
Damien Atkins had 118 reasons to feel hard done by on Saturday.
The Waaia opener started like a house on fire in the Bombers’ Clyde Young Shield clash against Kyabram as his willow-wielding display cut strips off the Redbacks’ 9-202 total.
But though his bat was ablaze, its as if his fellow teammates were taking stance with pool noodles.
Atkins was the lone soldier as six Waaia batters departed for ducks, and when the opener was the penultimate wicket to fall on 118 (14 fours, four sixes), the Bombers slumped to a 33 run loss.
DJ spin that
Google ‘barn burner’ and the D-grade affair between Old Students and Katandra may just light up the screen.
Almost 500 collective runs were scored in a box office match that came down to the final ball, and kicking it off was a crunching opening stand between Dean Johnson and Ryan Boswell.
The latter was eventually dismissed for 75 while Johnson, making 105 not out, carried his bat as Students reached 4-242 off their 40 overs.
Katandra wasn’t shying away from the total, though.
The Eagles, led by Pete Carcour (54) and Harpreet Singh Gill (51) pushed oh so close to victory, but needing a boundary off the last ball to win or draw, Glenn Feldtmann could only manage a pair to see Katandra fall two runs short.
Sheriff’s back in town
Undera all-rounder Russell Sheriff has been a regular feature in Saturday Sundries, and surprise, it’s only taken one week for him to reappear in the news.
The Lions’ wrecker blitzed Pine Lodge’s order in a searing spell, claiming impressive figures of 5-15 off 5.3 overs as the visitors saluted by five wickets.
However, Sheriff didn’t have it all his own way.
Undera’s main man was cuffed for a three ball globe, hinting that Sheriff perhaps wasn’t shooting quite as straight when it came time to pad up.
President’s knock
There was no defeating Aaron Di Fede on Saturday.
Mooroopna’s B-graders speared to a 91-run win over Shepparton Youth Club United, and at the heart of it was none other than the club president.
Di Fede smacked a run a ball 101 not out batting at six, showing his charges how to win a game of cricket off his own bat.
Although, he might need to run a session on dashing between the wickets as four of Mooroopna’s six dismissals came via run-outs.