Gallery | Nagambie E-grade produces an A-grade effort to secure Whitelock Shield crown

By Marcus Beeck

Mar 16, 2025

Nagambie celebrates another wicket during Cricket Shepparton's 2024-25 E-grade grand final. Photo by Megan Fisher

Cricket Shepparton’s two best E-grade sides wrestled for the Whitelock Shield crown during Saturday’s scorcher.

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As temperatures continued to climb and with a heavy blanket of humidity wrapping itself around the region, Katandra and Nagambie traded blows as the two clubs jostled for the premiership.

Katandra finished the home and away season in top spot on the ladder, while Nagambie sat only one point behind in second.

The two clubs were by far the best teams that the E-grade competition had to offer and were worthy adversaries in the decider.

In the teams’ respective preliminary finals, Nagambie demonstrated its prowess with the ball as it skittled Waaia for 98 to win comfortably.

Meanwhile, Katandra showed off its ability with the bat as it struck a monster 289 in its first innings to break Kyabram hearts and join the Lakers in the grand final.

The start of the day fell in the Eagles’ favour as they won the toss and elected to bat at Vibert Reserve.

However, Katandra’s belief was brought to a screeching halt as it fell to 3-15 within the blink of an eye.

Brad Murray (25 runs off 46 balls) and Dillon Shelley (15 off 27) attempted to steady Katandra’s ship.

Nagambie opening bowler Rhys Shepherd starred with the ball for the Lakers.

Shepherd snared 3-10 from his 6.3 overs to keep Katandra’s batters at bay throughout the innings.

Lakers captain Keenan Shepherd said his gun bowler had been putting in the work recently.

“(Shepherd) has been bowling really well for the past four weeks,” he said.

“He has had a bit of help from Brock (Boddington) to get his head right and listen and bowl properly.

“Since then, it has changed him really, he has been bowling really great.”

Katandra pair Patrick Candy (16 off 29) and Sukhwinder Singh Bhinder (24 not out off 34) pushed the Eagles’ total out to 127 after 36.3 overs — a below-par score.

In response, an out-of-form Nagambie opener stole the show for the Lakers.

Jayden Oats struck a game-high 67 not out from 88 balls in an innings that included 10 boundaries and one six.

THE GAME

Katandra 127 (Brad Murray 25, Sukhwinder Singh Bhinder 24*, Rhys Shepherd 3-10) lt Nagambie 3-129 (Jayden Oats 67*, Hugh McKeown 26*, Dillon Shelley 2-23)

STAR PLAYER

Rhys Shepherd (Nagambie): The Lakers’ opening bowler placed the Eagles on the backfoot early. Shepherd didn’t allow Katandra’s dangerous batting line-up to get any fluidity or rhythm as he strangled the Eagles like a python. His three wickets and economy rate of 1.53 per over are clear indicators of his influence.

Shepherd said it was good to see his teammate regain his form in the biggest match of the year.

“Jayden had actually made three ducks (in a row) before that,” he said.

“We just said for him to take his time and bat all day.

“Hughy (McKeown) hadn’t batted since last year, close to November, so he batted really well as well.

“Good game to do it in too.”

McKeown’s 26 not out off 52 balls helped Oats guide the Lakers to 3-129, a seven-wicket win and another E-grade flag for Nagambie.

The Lakers have now secured back-to-back Whitelock Shield flags and Shepherd said his team celebrated appropriately.

“It was just our team there (at the clubrooms),” he said.

“It was good fun, hanging around and having a drink and singing and whatever else.

“It was good for a few of the boys to go back-to-back, but also good for the rest of us to get one too.”