Scoring at a rate of almost eight runs an over the Red combination faced sister-team White and was chasing the 102 run/33.5 over day-one total of its opponent.
White claimed wickets in the third, fourth and fifth overs of the Red innings to have its opposition reeling at 3-12 before Ava Pell (20 from 18 deliveries) joined Pekin at the crease.
Wickets with successive deliveries, for White’s Archie Sheppard, in the 25th over, temporarily halted the onslaught before continued late in the innings.
Sheppard stood as a beacon for White, claiming 3-26 from his four overs. Sam Chapman took 2-49 from his four overs in support.
Red’s Archer Backway (20 from 23 deliveries) and Tayte Newman were dismissed in successive balls, followed by Jonty Sefton and Will Harrison (36 from 36 deliveries, seven boundaries) was last man out before O’Neill and Pekin returned to the crease.
Harrison was removed with the first delivery of the 31st over when Pekin strode back to the wicket.
He struck the first ball he faced for six — one of three for the over.
He and O’Neill then 18 runs from the final over to finish with the mammoth total.
Pekin finished with an unbeaten 66, from 39 deliveries, striking seven boundaries and five sixes. O’Neill finished on not out 55 (from 38 deliveries, only seven runs not in boundaries) with three boundaries and six sixes.
– Kyabram fell 11 runs short in its run chase against Tongala at Kyabram Recreation Reserve, a partnership between Max Coates and Kade Drew almost securing it a win.
Tongala made 128 last week and then had Kyabram 3-31before Drew and Coates came together. Keplar Cleveland (16) had offered early support to the pair, who took the score to 4-64 when Drew was dismissed.
That signalled a collapse, which saw the final six wickets fall for 51 runs and Kyabram was all out for 117.
Unassuming all-rounder River Townsend was the destroyed, taking 3-3 from his 2.2 overs and supported by Cruz Kreymborg (2-16 from four overs).
Drew struck 23 from just 24 deliveries and Coates finished unbeaten with 25 (from 49 deliveries) at the end of the Kyabram innings, which was over in the 34th over.
James McKeown also offered late resistance to the Tongala bowling with a 43-ball stay at the wicket for a nine-run return.
– Timothy Mawley’s determined innings at the top of the order for Kyabram Fire Brigade Flames was sufficient for his team to reel in Rochester’s day-one tally of 227.
Flames finished at 9-155 in its run chase as Mawley (36 not out) batted for 43 deliveries, struck six boundaries and was one of just four batters to hit double figures.
Billy Isaac (11) and Aidan Greiner (14 from 50 deliveries with three boundaries) came together with the Flames at 6-101 and added 38 before the next three wickets fell in the space of 16 runs.
Earlier Ethan Greiner (12) had supported the efforts of Mawley, with the Flames given an opportunity to pounce when Rochester delivered 49 extras for the innings.
Next round, a two-day format across December 8 and 15, is the final match before the Christmas break and the season will resume on Thursday, January 19, with a one-day fixture.
