Jackson Barnett sends down a bolt.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Echuca South has found itself trailing only Moama nine rounds into the McMahon Shield after making the great escape against Kyabram Fire Brigade on Saturday.
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Hosting the Flames at Echuca South Recreation Reserve, the Swans won the toss and elected to bat.
Swans opener Jayden Rosin looked in good touch from the start, while Ben Eade struggled to score, tallying a single run off 20 balls before he was dismissed by Robert Salter.
Echuca South had plenty to celebrate after scraping past Kyabram Fire Brigade in round nine of the 2025-26 McMahon Shield. Photos: Jordan Townrow
Rosin and Asantha Singappuli went on to build a strong 80-run second wicket stand before the former was caught out for 60.
Singappuli continued on as Rathika Rajakumara (5), Clayton Watson (11) Brendan Lewis (6) and Ben Walker (9) came and went around him.
Robert Salter lets it fly.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Once Singappuli was eventually dismissed for 58, it wasn’t long before Sachin Peiris (3) was heading back to the sheds as Fire Brigade’s Archer Backaway took two wickets in the 45th over.
Jackson Barnett sent the bails flying on two separate occasions late in the innings, knocking over Andrew Walker (6) and AK Gunathilaka for a golden duck as Simon Van Duinen remained unbeaten.
Asantha Singappuli drives hard.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Thanks in large part to the work of Rosin and Singappuli, the Swans set a solid total of 184 to defend in the second innings.
Fire Brigade’s innings got off to a flier as Miller Griffiths and Oscar Carver saw out the first 15 overs and put 38 on the board before the latter was bowled by Brendan Lewis for 18.
Archer Backway was the pick of the bowlers for the Flames wth 3-27.
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JORDAN TOWNROW
Griffiths and first drop Bohden Learmonth continued on the steady path before the number three was caught by Rajakumara for 23.
Each of the top order was able to partner with Griffiths as Jake Gascoyne was putting runs on the board at a steady rate.
It was only a mix-up running between the wickets which brought an end to the opener’s innings, with Griffiths (56) being run out by Brendan Lewis after raising the bat for a sturdy half century.
Cohan Hooper whips it in to the keeper.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
When Gascoyne (44) was eventually caught in the 46th over, the Flames still required 25 for victory off the final four overs.
Unfortunately for the visitor, some class bowling at the death by Peiris and ill-timed wickets to Salter (5) and Cohan Hooper (9) meant that the Flames fell two runs shy of victory while still having three wickets in hand.
Coming so close and not swinging for the fences with batters in the shed seems to have been a result that will be disappointing for the Flames, who are locked in a tight mid-table battle with both defending champion Echuca and 2024-25 runner-up Rochester.
Jayden Rosin top scored for the Swans with 60.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Had Fire Brigade won that game, it would have asserted itself comfortably at number four and created distance between two dangerous sides still trying to find rhythm.
The Flames will get the perfect chance to atone for their sins when they host Echuca at Northern Oval in round 10, while the Swans will try and exorcise round two ghosts when they face unbeaten Moama at home.
Wil Harrison patrolling the boundary.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
The Game
Echuca South 184 (Jayden Rosin 60, Asantha Singappuli 58, Archer Backaway 3-27) d Kyabram Fire Brigade 7-182 (Miller Griffiths 56, Jake Gascoyne 44, Sachin Peiris 3-37)
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