Hosting Shepparton Youth Club United at Waaia Recreation Reserve, the Bombers simultaneously kept their winning run alive while handing SYCU a third straight defeat, proving lethal with the Kookaburra and doing enough with the bat to record a five-wicket win.
Sent into the field after losing the toss, Waaia was well on top early as skipper Mitchell Cleeland (2-30) snared the scalp of Oliver Swain (4) in the second over before heaping on the pressure, which eventually became too much for Tyler Green (3), who also succumbed in the sixth over as SYCU fell to 2-13.
But the boys in blue responded positively with skipper Sam Nash joining Joe Hammond at the crease, the pair combining for a 55-run stand for the third wicket, reaching 68 before Nash departed for 17 off the bowling of Hayden Hixon.
Hammond continued to accumulate runs at one end, while George Geaves (10) became Hixon’s (2-27) second victim at the other and, though Hammond raised the bat for a well-made 50 under pressure, he departed the following over for 51, which kick-started the Jordan Cleeland show.
Having removed the dangerous Hammond to reduce SYCU to 5-105, Jordan Cleeland struck again in his following over, snaring the scalp of Connor Green, and then again in his next set of six to remove Steven Tate, as the visitor all of a sudden slumped to 7-120.
Shobhit Sabarwal hit back for SYCU, proving a nuisance for Waaia through the middle order as he ticked the scoreboard over at a run-a-ball, but even he couldn’t deny Cleeland, departing in the same over as Max Henderson (5) for 43, as Cleeland (5-17) picked up his fifth wicket and SYCU fell to 9-147 after a whirlwind few overs.
Jesse Trower (1-23) wrapped up SYCU’s innings with his first wicket of the afternoon, ensuring the visitor was bowled out for 149 in 42.1 overs, and setting the Bombers a clean 150 for victory.
It was a horror start to the chase for the home side, however, as it lost Damien Atkins (2) on the ninth ball of the innings to be down 1-3 and, while Brayden Carey looked to be moving steadily at one end, he lost another partner in Jordan Cleeland (10) soon after as the Bombers were reduced to 2-28.
Brenton Low proved a good support for Carey down the other end as he strode to the crease, however, allowing Carey to belt the runs while he rotated the strike and, while they added 40 in tandem, they would also fall in quick succession, with Low (10) departing with Waaia at 3-68, which became 4-77 as Carey was dismissed for 41, having been the only Bomber to look comfortable in the middle.
Skipper Mitch Cleeland would follow suit after a 26-run partnership with Bailey Smith, sent packing for 16 as Waaia stumbled to 5-103, which put it roughly in line with SYCU at the same stage in its innings, but while the visitors unravelled quickly, Waaia would do no such thing.
Smith (36 not out) and Trower (16 not out) were assured at the crease and, showing great patience, knocked the ball around without any further trouble, uniting for an unbeaten 48-run stand to cruise home for the five-wicket win with four overs to spare.
The win keeps Waaia in touch at the top, level on wins with each of the three teams above it, but trailing ladder leader Kyabram by two bonus points, while is SYCU in 10th, one off the bottom, as one of four teams yet to score points.
Round four this weekend will see the Bombers travel to Frank Howley Oval to take on Tatura in the first of the two-day contests for the season, while SYCU will host an in-form Numurkah at Princess Park.
THE GAME
Shepparton Youth Club United 149 (Joe Hammond 51, Shobhit Sabharwal 43, Jordan Cleeland 5-17) lt Waaia 5-151 (Brayden Carey 41, Bailey Smith 36 not out, Joe Hammond 2-30)
STAR PLAYER
Jordan Cleeland (Waaia): Cleeland’s impact with the ball was immense, snaring the wickets of both SYCU danger men Hammond and Sabharwal, while cleaning up the tail quickly en route to a five-wicket haul and restricting the visitor to a manageable total.
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