BLU won the toss and, keeping to the theme of the round, sent Echuca in to bat. It didn’t take long for the Lions’ bowlers to crack the game open, with Jeremy Felmingham claiming the wicket of Brendan Moyle off a Regis Chakabva catch for eight.
Joe Moss followed suit from the other end, dismissing opener Easton Carlile in the following over for a two-ball duck off a terrific catch by Felmingham, who was heavily involved in the contest early on.
First and second drops James Grixti and Kobyn James steadied the ship with a 50-run partnership for the third wicket, with Grixti finding the boundary three times before looping one to Lucas Holgate off Moss’ bowling, departing for 27.
James was next to go 12 runs later, clean bowled by Holgate for 21.
But you can trust Echuca’s Aidan Young to provide a fightback when it is needed most. He notched 44 to keep the men in green in the game before Holgate caught him off Noah Turner’s bowling.
Batters seven, eight and nine were all claimed for a total of 10 runs by the bowling of Felmingham, who was on song, notching 4-37 in the innings.
Echuca was all out for 156 in 38 overs and had work to do in the field if it was to stop BLU, who looked to send a message to the rest of the competition.
BLU’s opening partnership of Liam Hamilton and Kade Pearse scored 23 before the latter felt to some sharp work by Nathan Elliott off his own bowling.
Hamilton and star batsman Chakabva then put on an 81-run partnership to put BLU within striking distance of an impressive victory.
Charlie Hinks eventually dismissed Hamilton for 38, courtesy of Ky Henson’s clean pair of hands.
It wasn’t long before Noah Turner was in the sheds again, managing only two before being caught by James.
Moss suffered a similar fate, only mounting a single boundary off his seven deliveries before being caught by Lachlan Hogan off English import Elliott.
Elliott then went on to claim the biggest prize of the day, trapping a rolling Chakabva in front on 69 and claiming 3-22 in his debut effort.
Unfortunately, it was too little too late for Echuca, who removed Chakabva when BLU only needed less than 20 runs for victory.
Those runs came by committee as no-one outside of Hamilton and Chakabva scored higher than eight, but nonetheless, BLU scraped over the line in the 41st over.
Its final score was 9-157.
Echuca will look to get the ball rolling on its season next week against Leitchville-Gunbower, while BLU will face a Moama side eager to get a win at home.
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