E-Grade rolls the arm over
FOR the third time this season, Cricket Shepparton’s A-Grade competition has been forced to take a week off, this time due to heavy rain that fell across the region on Friday.
Junior and B-Grade matches were also called off, however lower grades on synthetic wickets went ahead.
The downpour proved too much for the turf wickets of the district, which saw between 20-40mm of rain.
With five rounds left to play this season, Nagambie holds top spot on the Haisman Shield A-Grade ladder, followed by Waaia, Mooroopna, and Numurkah.
Action continued in E-Grade however, with Pine Lodge doing enough to defeat Shepparton United at Princess Park’s McGregor Oval.
Pine Lodge posted 179 for their first innings after sending themselves into bat. Wicketkeeper Damien Pigatto made a solid 50, top-scoring for Pine Lodge as United cycled through an incredible smorgasbord of 10 bowlers.
In reply, United opener and big-hitter James Longley was in touch, hammering his way to 86 off just 55 deliveries.
The opener’s heroics weren’t enough, however. He held out to deep cover and was caught by Manjit Singh. The rest of the United’s line-up fell weakly, and ended up all out 16 runs short of victory.
Singh’s spin bowling was most effective, taking 4/16 from seven overs.
In other E-Grade results:
• Old Students White 8/132 J Bathman 58, M Newton-King 2/20, R Hammer 2/32 def by Old Students Blue 7/139 J Wild 44, R Hammer 32*, M Earl 3/11, R Humphrey 2/22
• Mooroopna 3/209 DC Hatton 104*, W Emanuelli 39 def Tatura 9/58 L Hall 3/9, P Schnorrenberg 2/1, DG Meek 2/6
• Nagambie 1/59 T Bush 27*, H Mckeown 25* def Murchison 56 JW Brook 3/2, D Brown 3/9
