Sport
Saturday Sundries at the intersection of carry jobs and crushing pain
Saturday Sundries are all the extra highlights from the weekend’s lower grade cricket — from the top run-scorer to the best bowling figures and anything else of interest from across the district’s grounds.
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Megan Fisher captured the action as Karramomus mauled Northerners in the Jim McGregor Shield at Vibert Reserve.
The game was highlighted by Rajendra Arekalmane with an unbeaten 64 (six fours, four sixes) — try saying that five times fast.
Image 1 of 7
Easy field work: Northerners' Grant Hutchins. Photo by Megan FisherImage 2 of 7
Could be on: Northerners keeper Cohan Hall. Photo by Megan FisherImage 3 of 7
Take the single: Karramomus' Ben Chaston. Photo by Megan FisherImage 4 of 7
Solid effort: Karramomus' Ben Chaston and Travis Guppy. Photo by Megan FisherImage 5 of 7
In it comes: Northerners' Tait Buckland. Photo by Megan FisherImage 6 of 7
Apply the revolutions: Northerners' Jason Wisely. Photo by Megan FisherImage 7 of 7
Down the pitch: Karramomus' Travis Guppy. Photo by Megan FisherNinety-nein
Tragic as it is, you can’t not lead with this one.
Everything was on course for Invergordon and Travis Murdoch in a Jim McGregor Shield meeting with Central Park-St Brendan’s.
Having the first hit, skipper Aaryn Cormican raised the bat and Murdoch was well on his way to triple figures with 13 fours and a six.
On 98, Murdoch punched one to deep cover with two runs on the cards.
The rest, as they say, is history — just not how he would have liked it.
In an unforgettable twist to this tale, Murdoch came back for two, but watched on as a remarkable direct hit unfolded before his eyes, stranding him just paces short of what seemed an almost foregone century.
Perhaps the most despairing detail of this story is that PlayHQ does not credit the fielder responsible for this memorable moment, meaning the “culprit” cannot be identified — and, of course, glorified for a magnificent play.
Now, Invergordon would eventually post 5-244 and squash any resistance to walk out a 125-run winner with top spot still in hand, so one cannot say that all was lost.
Tyler Maher’s 20 (two fours) would have top-scored with the Tigers’ season mathematically over, but Invergordon’s 30 wides instead stole that honourable mention.
That said, the decision to retire the side after Maher’s dismissal appeared to indicate the belief that if he can’t do it, nobody will.
Take me away to the promised land
Staying in the McGregor Shield one more time, we saw a proper collaboration in the game between Pine Lodge and Undera.
At least, in most aspects of Undera’s run chase.
Liam Trevaskis had set the pitch alight with 79 (10 fours, one six) as Pine Lodge mustered a respectable 8-189, but the interest bulked up after lunch.
Pine Lodge took the early advantage when Samuel Hayes removed opener Matthew Burridge for a duck, but there was no further luck.
In fact, each of the three batters who followed up Burridge’s premature departure notched half-centuries of their own and all found the rope at least eight times in what would become an easy eight-wicket win.
A fine carry job eventuated on the backs of Sean Baker, Shaun Dryden and Bayden Bailey — consigning Burridge to Ringo status among the Undera supergroup.
This three-wheeled sports car took vital points regardless, though, with a result that sews up a finals spot for the Lions.
Old habits die hard
In a recent edition of Saturday Sundries, we covered the long sought-after century that had eluded Kyabram gunslinger Paul Wickham.
Wickham had some hard luck along the way, twice falling on 96 and being dropped on that infamous number another time before finally breaking through for a ton to savour.
Well, guess what?
It’s gone and happened again.
In a Whitelock Shield meeting with Murchison, Wickham came in at six off the back of a highly underwhelming top-order performance.
Wickham resurrected the innings single-handedly before arriving at the tally that has brought so little joy to his season.
Sure enough, it was a combined Ewart endeavour that proved his undoing — although it almost mathematically had to be, given at least six Ewarts appeared in the Murchison line-up.
Wickham was caught by Jacob, off the bowling of Angus, and history was doomed to repeat itself on yet another occasion.
What is it about the number 96 that instils such bad mojo on Wickham’s wicket?
You’re certainly doing your job today, Mr Sun
Last Wednesday evening, Cricket Shepparton made the late call to postpone the Lower-grade T20 final between Old Students and Karramomus due to Thursday’s extreme heat forecast.
With the game now tentatively scheduled for February 29, the weekend gave many of the more fearsome hitters a chance to further stake their claims.
There was, to put it one way, a mixed bag of fortunes.
Travis Guppy took his chance with aplomb in the Karramomus-Northerners McGregor Shield game featured in the gallery, keeping steady en route to 56 and getting his reps in before a second crack at the T20 final.
Fellow Blood Andrew Hawker fell by the wayside, though, in suiting up for the SJ Perry Shield clash with Central Park.
Hawker was cleaned up early for 16 at a run a ball, heavily denting his form line as someone expected to make a heavy imprint on Thursday night.
On the other side of the coin, there was no joy at all to be found for Old Students gun Jayden Gagliardi, who missed out on time with the willow in the two-day Clyde Young Shield game against Pine Lodge.
If we can get the final on the park this time, can Hawker and Gagliardi still come in hot after their respective difficulties?
Sports Journalist