Mueller averaging 100 with another ton

Mueller faced only 91 balls and was at the wicket for just under two hours in notching his second century in his last three trips to the batting crease.

He has now amassed 406 runs in five for the season in the Haisman Shield competition at an average of just over 100.

After winning the toss and batting Kyabram made a positive start with openers Billy McLay and Paul Parsons adding 56 before Parsons fell for an aggressive 30 with five fours.

But Kyabram then found itself 2/56 — both wickets claimed by Tatura skipper Daniel Coombs — when Kaine Herbert was dismissed for a duck.

Then McLay and Mueller added 56 for the third wicket before McLay fell for a patient 43 off 78 balls with five boundaries.

Adam Nunn chipped in with 13 and shared a fourth-wicket stand of 46 with Mueller.

Then Mueller and Kyle Fitzgerald, who made 24 with two fours and a six, propelled the Kyabram score to 211 before Mueller and Jayden Tucker added another 24 in an unbeaten stand for the sixth wicket to take Kyabram’s score to a healthy 5/234.

In reply Kyabram dismissed Tatura for 114 with Tom Vibert with a fighting 45 and opener Lachy McGee with 19 holding the innings together.

The spin of Darin Ohlsen with 3/18 off eight overs and Alec Young with 2/27 off 5.5 overs and the pace of Charlie McLay with 3/40 off nine overs brought down the Tatura batting line-up.

Still in fifth spot on the ladder, Kyabram hosts sixth-placed Waaia this Saturday.

— Two centuries and two near centuries were scored on the opening day of the 12th round in a run-fest in the Goulburn Murray John McMahon Shield competition last Saturday.

Helping themselves to “tons” were Rochester’s star recruit Adam Ward and Moama’s Russ Stockdale while Echuca South’s Sri Lankan recruit Asantha Singappuli and Kyabram Fire Brigade’s Paul Newman missed by one run and five runs respectively of reaching the magical number.

Newman and opening bowler Chare Smith stamped their authority for Fire Brigade in its clash with the young Cooma outfit.

West Indian recruit Smith had 4/27 at one stage put Cooma, which batted first, on the back foot early and finished with 4/58 off 13 overs as Cooma was dismissed for 134 in the clash at Kyabram’s Northern Oval.

Apart from Smith, Rob Salter was the only other multiple wicket taker for the Brigade with 2/15 off 10 overs.

Then Newman continued his stellar batting form as The Flames reached 4/210 before declaring in a bid to try and gain maximum points for the clash in its late push for the finals.

At stumps in their second innings Cooma was 0/5.

Newman blasted 17 fours and two sixes off 75 deliveries in a run-a-minute stay at the crease.

Earlier a rearguard recovery led by Harry Murdoch enabled Cooma to finally post a respectable score in its first innings.

Murdoch who made 37 off 68 balls with four fours and a six shared a valuable 38-run-stand for the ninth wicket with Xavier Fawcett who contributed an unbeaten 19.

Apart from Murdoch the other shining light in Cooma’s batting line up was opener Mason Scopelitti who made a defiant 40 off 46 balls with four boundaries.

In their run chase The Flames got away to a good start with openers Newman and Miller Griffiths adding 93 before Griffiths fell for 28.

Then Brenton Campbell with 41 off 40 deliveries kept the runs coming with Newman.

— Rochester’s Adam Ward heralded his home coming with a dashing century against BLU.

Ward, who was a teenage star with the club was playing his second game back after a decade playing in the Bendigo Cricket Association, showed his class by making 130, which enabled his side to reach a tidy 252 runs total.

Ward got most support from another former player now back with the club, Adrian Pappin, who scored 40 and shared an 82-run stand for the sixth wicket with the century maker.

The most successful BLU bowler was Simon Van Duinen with 3/39 off 11 overs.

In reply BLU was 0/18 at stumps with a lot more to play out in this clash.

— Third-placed Nondies Cohuna was bowled out for just 108 by Moama at Moama.

Jordan McGregor with 3/5 off seven overs, Russ Stockdale, 3/33 off 10 overs and Anthony McMahon 2/22 off seven overs had Nondies back in the pavilion in 42.1 overs.

In reply Moama’s Russ Stockdale and Kirk Teasdale piled on an opening stand of 156 as Moama reached 2/229.

Stockdale slammed 10 fours and 7 sixes in his knock of 120 in 83 minutes, while veteran Teasedale contributed a half century.

— Star Sri Lankan Echuca South recruit Asantha Singappuli came up agonisingly one run short of a century in the clash against Leitchville-Gunbower.

His 99 off 169 deliveries included 10 fours and 2 sixes and helped the visitors post 202 with LG to try and chase down this score this Saturday.

Singappuli shared an 87-run stand for the third wicket with Jayden Rosin who made 31.

In his first innings for the club the previous week he made 76 not out.

Vikai Kelley with 3/46 off 16 overs was the best of the home team bowlers.