Feel the Byrne: Opener sets platform for comfortable Rochester win

By Oliver Shedden

Oct 6, 2024

Rochester's opener Brandon Byrne was the hero for the day, making 61 in a 90-run opening stand. Photo by BrucePoveyPhotos.com 2022

Rochester’s explosive opener Brandon Byrne notched a vital 61 from 50 balls to power his side to a convincing first-round win over Nondies Cohuna.

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Rochester won the toss and sent Nondies Cohuna into bat first. Openers Geoff Williams and Angus Donat set a respectable platform of 39 before Donat was trapped in front by Adam Ward and departed for eight runs.

First drop Zeb Elwood didn’t last long at the crease, being caught by Oliver Williams off Brandon Byrne’s bowling for two runs and only facing one ball.

Geoff Williams had built a solid score of 38 before falling to another catch by Oliver Williams, this time off the bowling of Cale James, the visitors now in trouble at 3/56.

Captain Will O’Shea and Jacob Hetherington managed to stop the bleeding for a while and built a small counterpunching partnership of 19 until Cale James claimed his second scalp of the innings, dismissing O’Shea for 11.

Rochester players celebrate as Nondies Cohuna opener Angus Donat is dismissed for eight. Photos: Bruce Povey Photo by BrucePoveyPhotos.com 2022

Jacob Hetherington took the reins and began to open up for Nondies Cohuna, but just as he got going he was caught out by Jake Wright of Jesse Cuttriss’s bowling, departing for 23.

Will Ringin and Xavier Wishart looked stable against the ageing ball, with the handy sixth and seventh batsmen taking their side past 100.

Cuttriss got his second, claiming Ringin for 18, his wicket being the last of the innings with Wishart and Tom Powell playing out the rest of the overs remaining unbeaten on 34 and 15 respectively.

Nondies Cohuna set Rochester a total of 6/160 to chase down in the second innings.

Rochester’s Cale James takes a wicket in his first over. Photo by BrucePoveyPhotos.com 2022

Spoiler alert, Rochester did it with relative ease.

Thanks to the stellar 90-run opening partnership of Brandon Byrne and Jake Wright, Rochester was in cruise control before Zeb Ellwood claimed the wicket of Wright in the ninth over for 38 thanks to a clean catch by Aiden Konopka.

Four overs later, Zeb Ellwood claimed the wicket of the other opener, with Geoff Williams’s safe pair of hands, dismissing Brandon Byrne for 61 after an innings that essentially took the game away from Nondies Cohuna.

Matthew Harrington and Adam Ward toiled before the latter fell to a great catch by Aidan Konopka off Shaun Haffenden’s bowling, leaving the middle for 11.

Nondies Cohuna's Geoff Williams made 38. Photo by BrucePoveyPhotos.com 2022

Shortly after, Harrington was cleaned up by Geoff Williams, ending his innings at 15 runs with 23 still needed for victory.

Martin was the last wicket to fall for Rochester, being caught by Will Ringin off Matt Noonan for 11 at the door of victory with only nine runs needed.

Oliver Williams and James Hipwell got Rochester over the line in 27 overs, with the batsmen finishing not out on 13 and one respectively.

After the win, Rochester will turn its attention to Echuca South next week.