The efforts of Cats prodigy Riley Moon and co had Numurkah fall a gut-wrenching 18 runs short of the hosts’ total at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve on Sunday.
Winning the toss, Mooroopna bolted from the stocks until the Blues bit back with a damaging sequence.
Callum Morris spearheaded a barrage with the ball for Numurkah, taking three scalps in quick succession as the visitors removed five wickets for a miserly 12 runs.
But when Moon stepped to the crease, things changed fast.
Mooroopna’s number six hunkered down and wasted no time taking to the attack, slashing half-a-dozen to the ropes on the way to what would be a game-winning knock of 60 retired.
Beau Metcalf chipped in with a handy 13 before his stumps were sent cartwheeling, while an unbeaten 12 from Kobie Issell carried the Cats to 8-144 from 45 overs.
Alongside Morris, Numurkah’s Reeve Verhoeven (2-8) and Matthew Ward (2-17) worked wonders with the ball.
Heading into the middle, the Blues’ batting stand began remarkably smoother than Mooroopna's.
Verhoeven and Mitch O’Dwyer piled on 56 runs before the latter was sent back to the sheds for 14.
Numurkah continued to tick over nicely, with anchor Verhoeven steering the side past the 100-run mark with seven still in the shed.
But once the opener departed for 59, Numurkah's innings fell apart.
Mooroopna turned the screws with only 42 runs to defend, rattling through the rest of the Blues’ order for 24.
A stunning runout from Moon granted the young gun man-of-the-match spoils, as his throw removed the penultimate wicket of Mitch Ward.
Moments later, a Metcalf peach bamboozled number 11 Adam Brooks, sending Mooroopna Recreation Reserve into hysterics as the win was sealed.
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