Moama won the toss and elected to bat first on a scorching hot day in Gunbower, in an attempt to give its bowlers a reprieve in tough fielding conditions.
Michael Hill and Fraser Buchanan opened the batting for Moama and after the latter smacked a four against second-over bowler Jye Keath, was beaten all ends up, leaving the visitor at 1-4 early.
Young gun Archie Teasdale was next to the crease and survived until the sixth over, when he too fell victim to Keath’s bowling, this time being caught by Marcus Stubbs for two.
This brought captain Anthony McMahon to the crease earlier than he would have liked but he combined well with Hill to launch a counter-attack against L-G.
The pair was able to survive through some strong overs from L-G before opening up through 20 overs at the crease together.
Just as Moama was beginning to motor along, Hill was caught trying to take on Simon Tatt and fell into the hands of Lewis Stubbs, departing for a hard-earned 35.
McMahon passed 50 for the first time this season and was looking positive for the Mowers but, upon trying to take Blake Gibson to the boundary, was stumped by wicket-keeper Tyler Jones, his whirlwind innings coming to an end on 59.
Perhaps Moama’s most consistent player so far this season, Matt Saunders developed a solid pairing with talented youngster Rhys Drennan.
The batsmen saw out the halfway mark of the innings before shifting gears and looking to score runs, both looking in good touch.
It wasn’t until right before the 60th over that, after raising the bat, Saunders was run out by Billy Hawken with help from some tidy work by James Keath in the field, Saunders also leaving the crease on 59.
For the first time in his A-grade career, Rhys Drennan reached the half-century milestone but couldn’t tally any more after he hit one straight back to Tatt, who took the catch.
Liam Stephens managed to score just slightly under a run a ball in his short time at the crease before he was caught by Marcus Stubbs off Tatt’s bowling, the veteran claiming his third.
Simon Porter and Charles Connors tried to see out the remaining overs for Moama but a-mix up in the middle saw Porter run out for eight attempting to get to the keeper’s end.
Blake Gibson got to dine out on Moama’s tail end, trapping Mitchell Stephens lbw for five and dismissing Geordie Teasdale for a duck in the same over to wrap up the innings.
Moama finished all out for 263, a score the Mowers will be happy to bowl to and feel they can win in Gunbower next week.
It will take an impressive batting display from L-G’s top and middle order to win. A loss would see it replaced by Moama in the top four of the McMahon Shield.
The Game
Moama 263 (Anthony McMahon 59, Matthew Saunders 59, Rhys Drennan 50) in the first innings against Leitchville-Gunbower (Blake Gibson 3-20, Simon Tatt 3-45)
