Tatura coach Daniel Coombs crafted a special 83-run knock in Saturday’s round 10 encounter as he spearheaded the hosts to a below par total of 169.
On a gorgeous looking Howley Oval pitch, Coombs played a lone-hand in Tatura’s first innings dig as he carried his side to a defendable total ― something that looked unlikely at one stage as his side limped to 6-100.
The Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield round 10 clash was billed as a mini-elimination final, with both Tatura and Northerners locked on 24 points apiece.
Understanding the significance of a loss in this contest, Coombs put it upon himself to wrestle his side out of trouble.
The talented all-rounder saved his best knock of the campaign for when it mattered most with a stirring 83 runs off 145 deliveries.
He crunched 12 boundaries before Northerners’ captain Stu Turner dismissed him in the 60th over to bring an end to the home side’s innings.
Turner ended up being the pick of the Jets’ bowlers with 4-42 from his 17.1 overs.
Josh Sidebottom was the only other bowler to collect multiple wickets with 2-33.
Alongside Coombs you had opener Preston Aurish with a quick-fire 21 off 24 deliveries, while talented all-rounder Blake Armstrong contributed 21 runs.
Northerners were tasked with navigating 17 overs to finish the day and it wasn’t long until disaster struck.
Tatura skipper and Armstrong’s brother, Jayden sent Jets opener Bayden Hutchins back to the sheds with the second ball of the innings to leave the visitors 1-0.
It was a horror start for the Jets and it brought their previous week’s total of 71 straight to mind.
Cohan Hall and Declan Newbound did their hardest to reach stumps, however, Coombs had other ideas with a peach delivery that ended up in the hands of his skipper.
Newbound was the batter to depart for 22 runs and Simon Marshall joined Hall at the crease for the remaining overs of the day.
No further damage was inflicted and the Jets limped to 2-32 with 137 runs to chase.
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