While Echuca ran through Bamawm-Lockington United, Moama suffered a setback against Nagambie and will need to string together results down the stretch to make the top four.
Sending the Lions in at Victoria Park, Echuca made short work of BLU’s batting line-up.
A 25-run partnership between Bree Styles (9) and Chloe Forster (14) was the only resistance the visitors posed to a composed Echuca bowling attack as the Lions were eventually dismissed for just 47.
Gillian Noelker ran through the BLU lower order, taking a memorable hat-trick in the 15th over, bowling Liz Chapman and Nicole Mitchell, before finding the edge of Daneika Hucker to reduce the Lions from five to eight down in the blink of an eye.
Noelker bowled just the one over but finished with innings-best figures of 3-2.
Chloe Moyle added two wickets, while captain Jessica Cox, Sophie Good and Marli Hollamby each chipped in with one.
With a small total to chase, Echuca didn’t waste time icing the game.
Noelker opened the batting with Kate Carlile and the pair kept their composure, knocking it into the gaps and running smartly between the wickets.
Noelker made 23 before retiring, Carlile (12 not-out) finishing off the chase shortly afterwards, Echuca getting the job done before the 10-over mark and without loss.
Moama vs Nagambie
Moama looked to test itself against Nagambie, one of the league’s top sides, but it was the Lakers who proved their credentials with an eight-wicket win.
The home side batted first at Moama Recreation Reserve, but the top order wasn’t able to fire in the early going.
After the openers both departed cheaply, Delaney Laffy, coming off a 50 in the previous round, looked to build a partnership with Isla Laffy.
Delaney wasn’t able to repeat her heroics from the previous round, but Isla linked up with Jinaya Nurse for an innings-defining partnership.
The two both batted out their 30 balls, putting on 50 runs together, Laffy making a run-a-ball 30 and Nurse 23.
With the two set batters leaving the middle, the run-rate slowed again over the final four overs, Moama concluding its innings at 5-87.
A balanced bowling attack saw five Nagambie bowlers share the wickets, Breanna Davison, Sharay Silvarich, Shelley Houston , Caitlyn Elliott and Kayla Shepherd all taking one each.
In response, Nagambie flexed its batting muscle at the top of the order, Kayla Shepherd in particular taking on the Moama bowlers.
Shepherd compiled 35 from her 30 balls in the middle before retiring unbeaten.
Sarah Villinger came to the middle but was quickly removed as Delaney Laffy made the first Moama breakthrough of the innings.
Shepherd’s opening partner Shelley Houston (14) came within a ball of her own retirement before Laffy followed up with a second wicket in the over, giving the Mowers some hope of slowing the Lakers’ momentum.
From 2-60, Breanna Davison forced the issue for Nagambie, going on the attack almost immediately as she looked to hit boundaries.
In 13 balls she found the rope six times, hitting three consecutive fours to end the game in the 14th over, her personal tally finishing at 27 runs.
Delaney Laffy (2-10) was the only Moama bowler to strike in the innings.
Moama now finds itself in a precarious position as it searches for a top-four spot, with the season resuming on February 2 after an off weekend for Australia Day.
The Mowers are only half a game behind Echuca, but the champion has a game in hand against Rochester, which was scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
The next closest target is Shepparton, who is a game and a half ahead of Moama, and a match-up between the two in the next round may prove critical to both sides’ finals chances.
Echuca will take a trip to Kyabram on February 2 and will be confident of a result against the league’s bottom side.
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