Kyabram fielder Kyle Fitzgerald celebrates after catching the ball.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Kyabram earned a day off and the chance to play in its third Haisman Shield final in five seasons after a crushing win over Nagambie in the first weekend of the Cricket Shepparton finals.
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The Redbacks had their final done and dusted by the end of the first day’s play after skittling the Lakers for just 83 in 56.1 overs on the opening day.
When Kyabram reeled in this score by Saturday evening, Nagambie hoisted the white flag, obviously to avoid a wasted day on Sunday given the state of the game.
There were some heart flutters in the Kyabram camp when Kyabram dipped to 2-11 in reply, but their most reliable batsmen in skipper Kyle Mueller and Paul Parsons then picked off the runs needed for the first innings without loss.
Mueller, as he has done all through his illustrious career, again top-scored with an unbeaten 44 and the oldest player in the game in Parsons was unbeaten on 27 when Kyabram rounded up the Nagambie score with eight wickets in hand.
Mueller faced 38 deliveries and hit seven fours and a six in a typical dominant knock while Parsons’ steady 27 came off 47 deliveries with three fours.
They were able to compliment the dominance of their bowlers who shot Nagambie out for 83 in 56.1 overs.
Kyabram coach Jackson McLay was the chief destroyer, claiming four of Nagambie’s top six batsmen at a cost of only 25 runs off a marathon and big-hearted 18 overs.
Jackson’s brother Charlie was also in the action early with the ball for Kyabram, snaring the prize wickets of James Auld and Mitch Winter-Irving cheaply from a marathon 17 overs with nine maidens at a cost of only 20 runs.
Left-arm off-spinner Louis Sabbagh-Holt also showed his value in big games again with 2-25 of 12 overs, while the competition’s leading wicket-taker Sam Langley cleaned up the Nagambie tail with 2-7 off 11.9 overs with nine maidens.
Roy Ezard with 15 not out batting at number nine top-scored for the Lakers but none of their frontline batting stars stood up or mastered the Kyabram attack for any length of time.
Kyabram coach Jackson McLay was naturally happy with his team’s win.
McLay said the ability of his team’s bowlers to keep the Nagambie batsmen under sustained pressure was the key to the win.
‘‘We were able to stop them getting on top at any stage and at lunch we had bowled 40 overs and they made only about 50 runs and were six wickets down,“ he said.
‘‘Nagambie is a good side but we just had one of those days when everything fell into place for us.’’
McLay has full confidence in his charges to take this step too and reach the ultimate glory in the season decider in a season in which his team has lost one game.
Kyabram now hosts Central Park-St Brendan’s, the only side that has beaten it this season, this weekend in one of two preliminary finals with a spot in the season decider awaiting the winner.
The game is being played at Kyabram Recreation Reserve.
