Sport top 10: Echuca hits premiership drought for six

A flick of Echuca captain Taylor Beard’s bat through the leg side in the 40th over on day two confirmed the six-wicket grand final victory against a gallant Bamawm-Lockington United after Jo Holloway’s men set the flag favourites 144 for victory.

With Moama Recreation Reserve the backdrop of an intriguing match-up, victory sealed Echuca’s first top-grade flag since 2005 after a barnstorming season that saw it drop just one game for the campaign.

After a heartbreaking defeat in the previous season’s decider to Kyabram Fire Brigade, Echuca was not to be denied again.

“It’s unreal,” Beard said post-match.

“We missed out last year unfortunately, so to come out this weekend and fight and scrap the way we did to get the win is just unbelievable.

“It’s reward for all the hard work — it’s been a pretty solid couple of years to get to this point.”

BLU skipper Jo Holloway won the toss and opted to bat first, but it took Echuca just four overs to find the first wicket of the match.

Beard struck first, sneaking a delivery through Liam Hamilton’s defences in a promising early start for Echuca.

This brought star all-rounder Sandun Ranathunga to the crease — BLU’s X-factor who shaped as the key to snapping a near two-decade flag drought of its own.

His vigil of 34 off 149 deliveries helped BLU keep the ship steady against a pinpoint bowling attack alongside opener Cody Thompson’s steady 23.

But BLU could only make small starts throughout the innings, eventually reduced to 9-100 off the back of stellar bowling from Charlie Hinks, who snared game-high figures of 3-17 from his eight overs.

Beard and 19-year-old paceman Rylea Jones each shared figures of 2-25, rounding out a productive season that saw Beard claim 41 wickets for the season and Jones 27.

However, Declan Pearse and Amila Gunathilaka knuckled down for a last-wicket partnership of 43, with Pearse contributing 13 not-out and Gunathilaka adding a valuable 24.

“Our bowlers really knocked it on the head; the wicket was really good and the outfield is always quick at Moama,” Beard said.

“To keep (BLU) relatively quiet throughout the day was amazing.

“They got a third of their runs in the last 15 overs but you get that in two-day cricket.”

In the run chase, Echuca would not be denied.

Curtis Townrow led proceedings with a match-winning 49 runs, an innings that earned him man-of-the-match honours.

Kobyn James crafted a watchful 30 not-out, unbeaten when Echuca passed BLU’s total.

And who else but Beard whacked the winning single, finishing with 28 runs to cap off a successful homecoming and, as it would turn out, a fitting swansong with his childhood club.

“Today, we came in hoping Curtis would get off the leash to ease a bit of pressure, and he did just that,” Beard said.

“Kobyn James came in determined, and that was the best he’s batted all year.

“He’s a big-game player, and he showed that today.”

For Echuca, it was premiership glory. For BLU, it wasn’t the desired result, but nonetheless the end of an epic season.

Having finished second-last in season 2020-21, BLU upset Rochester in the semi-final to qualify for the grand final, and came into the grand final as the only side to defeat Echuca earlier in the season.

“The last two-day grand final we played was in 2000-01,” Holloway said.

“It was a really good feeling around the club during the week, especially with both A- and B-grade in.”

Although Beard’s tenure at Echuca came to an end prior to season 2022-23, he would go on to win the Turner Medal as the McMahon Shield’s best-and-fairest at the league’s awards night, his fifth competition best-and-fairest to cement himself as one of the all-time greats of Goulburn Murray Cricket.

Echuca’s premiership success didn’t stop with the A-grade cricket side on the day, with the club’s C-grade team earning a thrilling two-wicket win off the last ball of the grand final clash against Moama to seal a premiership from fifth spot on the ladder.

BLU didn’t go home empty-handed over grand final weekend, with the B-grade side hanging on for a thrilling five-run win over Kyabram Fire Brigade.