GMC | Flames face tough battle to make finals

By Gus Underwood

Feb 22, 2022

On song: Fire Brigade youngster Jackson Barnett.

Kyabram Fire Brigade is none the wiser about whether it will play finals in Goulburn Murray Cricket’s John McMahon Shield competition after the first day’s play of the final home-and-away round on Saturday.

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But its chances are not looking good.

The Flames were 0/13 chasing top team Echuca’s gettable score of 175 in the clash at Kyabram’s Northern Oval.

But the two teams the Flames are relying on to lose to enable them to slip into the top four, Moama and Bamawm-Lockington United, are both in sound positions in their games.

Another Taylor Beard half-century masterclass and handy contributions from Matt Hinks (42), Andrew Jones (20) and Archer Carlile (28) enabled Echuca to post 175 after young Brigade quick Jackson Barnett grabbed three early wickets to have the visitors reeling at 3/16.

Barnett finished with 4/46 off a marathon 23 overs, with spinner Rikki Busch (2/18 off six overs) the other multiple wicket taker.

Openers Danny Kent and Miller Griffiths faced six overs late in the day as the Flames wiped 13 runs from their run chase this Saturday.

• Cooma’s score of 138, highlighted by a knock of 71 by opener Brad Power, may not be enough to keep out BLU this Saturday.

Power and the consistent Jake Kelly, who made 27, produced a 76-run stand for the second wicket for Cooma. But after their dismissals not one batsman reached double figures against the visitors’ attack led by Amila Gunathilaka, who claimed 5/33 of 13 overs.

Power’s superb knock contained five fours and two sixes.

• Moama is in the box seat against Leitchville Gunbower after a Fraser Buchanan century propelled it score to a healthy 259.

Opening the innings Buchanan made 115 off 224 delivers in a marathon 270-minute occupancy of the batting crease. His innings contained 11 fours and a six and he got most support from Kirk Teasedale, who was unbeaten on 57 at stumps.

• Nondies-Cohuna has second-top side Rochester on the ropes in their clash at Cohuna after an enthralling day’s play.

At one stage Nondies was 5/10 and 6/35 before Matt Robinson, coming in at number eight, took to the Rochester bowlers, clubbing a blistering 110 off 62 balls with eight sixes and 10 fours, as the home side posted a respectable 171 off 41.3 overs.

In reply Rochester was down and almost out at 8/86 after a four-wicket haul from opening bowler Peter Moore.

Skipper Sean Williams was the only Rochester batsmen to hold up the Nondies attack, making 39.

B Grade

Rushworth will need to beat top side Tongala in the final home-and-away round this Saturday to have any chance to play finals.

Fifth placed Rushworth had an easy win over Cooma on Saturday but so did Stanhope, the side it was hoping to replace, which scored a seven-wicket win over Colbinabbin with Craig Emmett (39 not out) and Lachy West (34) providing the bulk of the runs.

While Fire Brigade had a resounding win over Echuca South it slipped to fourth on the ladder, replaced in third spot by Stanhope.

Shannon Fleming was among the runs the runs again for the Flames, top scoring with 65, while Cohan Hooper (4/14) and Matt Fleming (3/19) did the damage with the ball for the winners.

Despite the win, Fire Brigade now has to beat second placed BLU this Saturday to be assured of playing finals.

With a superior percentage than both Rushworth and Fire Brigade, sixth placed Elmore is also still in the finals mix after a win over Northern United.

Elmore takes on Stanhope in the final round.

Tongala replaced BLU, which had the bye, in top spot on the ladder with its easy win over Leitchville Gunbower.

Dylan Cunningham, with an unbeaten 33, guided Tongala to a six-wicket win after dismissing LG for 75.

C Grade

Girgarre booked its spot in the finals with a narrow win over Nondies-Cohuna.

Led by Rhys Febey, with a half-century, Girgarre chased down Nondies’ score of 9/134 with eight wickets down.

Top side Fire Brigade dismissed Rochester for 84 and led by opener Justin Elliott (25) cruised to 3/85.

Stanhope slipped into second place with a win over Echuca in a low-scoring affair.

Jack Hepburn, with 23, top-scored in Stanhope’s moderate total of 81 but then Jacob Gillie turned the game in Stanhope’s favour with the ball, taking 6/21 off seven overs, as Echuca succumbed for just 76.

Despite an unbeaten half-century by Tyler Turvey, Cooma was no match for Tongala, with Callum Tucker (47 not out) and Luke Smith (34) polishing off the runs needed for victory.