Sport
Echuca makes statement with Goulburn Murray women’s victory over Shepparton Youth Club United
Rumours of Echuca’s Goulburn Murray women’s cricketing demise appear to have been greatly exaggerated.
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It was getting rocky for the girls in green after consecutive defeats to Mooroopna and Nagambie sat in their recent memory — the notion of two losses on the bounce a serious rarity for the border outfit.
Sunday presented a chance to resume correcting course against a top side in Shepparton Youth Club United, though, and with puddles from the previous day’s precipitation still prominent by the fences at Princess Park, it went to work.
The unaffected pitch played well, but Echuca’s openers played it better than anyone as Gillian Noelker and Chloe Moyle complemented each other brilliantly to get things going quickly.
Youngster Moyle proved the star of the show by day’s end, taking the initative with 32 off her 30 balls as Noelker provided the anchor in a top-notch partnership with both retiring not out.
Di Poole breathed some life into the home side’s efforts to constrain the offence by dismissing captain Jessica Cox first ball, but a deep Echuca line-up kept on rolling.
The truest momentum swing in Shepparton’s favour came when import Sophie Ullah, produced a double-wicket over to suppress Sophie Good and Zoe Cook and leave the visitors at 3-71.
Again, though, Echuca simply overcame and kept on rolling as Grace Riddell and Amy Cooper combined to offer almost 50 without loss in closing out a resolute innings, sharing in five boundaries as the combine got set to chase 120 for victory.
While both openers for the blue outfit were able to soak up their 30 deliveries apiece as well, the reigning premier was able to contain some scoreboard impact with skipper Lia Beecroft taking her leave on 11.
Ullah and Mel Saunders picked up the pace with the latter running up 24 at close to a run a ball, but the Englishwoman simply ran out of time and once Saunders found herself caught off Sophie Good, Echuca firmly pumped the brakes.
A couple of late Jessica Cox breakthroughs put an exclamation point on a powerful 40-run victory.
Echuca coach Andrew Good believes anything is still achievable for his side coming into the back end.
“We’re pretty happy with where we’re sitting at the moment,” Good said.
“We just got outclassed in the Mooroopna game and we’ve had a couple short, but we’re in the mix again this year.
“Chloe is only 14, so she’s coming along really well, and ‘Gill’ has a great technique and knows a fair bit about cricket, plus it was good to get a partnership going late.
“Jess is important to us and for her to not trouble the scorers was something I thought might hurt us a bit, but Grace and Amy put together something great towards the end of the innings.
“We should be a fair chance against Rochester. Mooroopna and Nagambie are two good teams, but I think we’re definitely still in the mix as long as we can get everyone on the park at the same time.”
Up next on the women’s cricketing schedule is the intra-league showdown between Goulburn Murray and Cricket Shepparton representative sides from within this league, set for Mooroopna on Friday.
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Echuca's Amy Cooper gets across hastily for a run. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 2 of 8
Echuca's Grace Riddell was enormously influential late in her side's innings. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 3 of 8
Shepparton Youth Club United's Lia Beecroft gets up and about in the field. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 4 of 8
Shepparton Youth Club United's Ashleigh McNamara made her first appearance of the season on Sunday. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 5 of 8
Shepparton Youth Club United's Lia Beecroft steadies up at the crease. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 6 of 8
Shepparton Youth Club United's Mel Saunders chucks it down. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 7 of 8
Shepparton Youth Club United's Charlotte Beavan moves quickly in the outfield. Photo by Rechelle ZammitImage 8 of 8
Shepparton Youth Club United's Lia Beecroft got around to do a bit of everything. Photo by Rechelle ZammitMoama vs Rochester
Visiting Moama Recreation Reserve, Rochester wasn’t able to defend its total of 7-89, with the Mowers batters proving too composed for the visiting attack.
Alice Caldow got Rochy off to a promising start in its batting innings, absorbing the majority of the strike in a 19-run first-wicket stand with Taya Munro.
Her pairing with Sadie Martin for the second wicket proved even more fruitful, the two advancing the total to 51 before Caldow retired not out for 27.
Delaney Laffy struck quickly for Moama to remove new batter Imogen Kath and Martin also departed for 13 the following over, quickly turning 1-51 into 3-51 with both set batters in the sheds.
The new pairing of Cadence Major and Sarah Taylor worked well to add another 33 to the total before Major was removed by Jordan Dalziel.
It signalled a steep decline in the scoring rate as Rochy only added four runs in the last three overs, limping to the end of its innings and posting 7-89.
Laffy struck three times in total for Moama, possessing figures of 3-10 from her four overs, while Dalziel snagged two wickets.
Isla Laffy and Mia Arthurson also made breakthroughs for the host.
The Moama run chase was composed as Rochester struggled to shift the opening pairing.
Olivia Davy (14 retired not out) and Beatrix Bray (12) protected their wicket well and ticked the scoreboard towards 50 with the help of a healthy extras total.
Davy’s retirement and Bray’s dismissal came in consecutive deliveries, bringing the new pairing of Delaney and Isla Laffy to the middle.
Delaney was searching for the boundary from the off, getting five fours through the ring.
She was removed shortly before the conclusion for 24 from 16 deliveries, with Isla (7 not out) hitting the winning runs in the following over to get Moama home for the loss of only two wickets.
Rebecca Wade (1-9) had the best figures in a tough day in the field for Rochy, while Keely Major (1-16) also made a breakthrough.