None of the Murray Valley Cricket Association sides made it to the final day of Country Week last Thursday.
Mixed results meant that the finals were played between other teams, with Shepparton and Bendigo particularly showing dominance.
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Cricket Shepparton and Bendigo District teams were facing off in four of six grand finals — under 14s, 15s, 16s and 17s.
In U13A Cricket Shepparton was facing Sunraysia, and in U13B Bendigo District took on Seymour.
MVCA game results are as follows:
Under 13A:
Game 1 – MVCA defeated by Shepparton. Tight bowling by MVCA saw them keep Shepparton at a reasonable run tally. Liam Sutton finished with an impressive 3/21 off 8 and Jules Cook a solid 2/18 off five. Murphy Stevens chimed in to also take 2/8 off three. In the chase, MVCA’s Zander Quinn made a solid 37 with Crue Lucas and Gus Frostick supporting him with 15 and 11 respectively.
Game 2 – MVCA defeated Goulburn Murray. MVCA started steadily before Sutton top scored for MVCA with 12 to set a total of 71. Goulburn Murray’s early loss in their opener, followed by a couple of catches and run outs, meant they were unable to catch MVCA’s total. Highlights included two catches to Stephens, 2/10 off 6.2 for Sutton, 1/7 off four for Hugh Stone, 1/13 off four for Quinn and 0/1 off three by Eamon Hyde.
Game 3 – MVCA defeated by Shepparton. Batting first, Shepparton built its tally strong over the 40 overs. Archie Loughran and Ollie Swain were not out, with 15 and 16 runs respectively. Captain Max Bicknell scored a the highest tally for his team, 29 runs. Lenny Power was first to the crease in the MVCA innings, out on an LBW by Archie Harrison. Swain and Oscar Buckland ran out next to bat Murphy Stephens. Crue Lucas earned a steady 15 runs before caught, and midway through, another LBW claimed Gus Frostick. Quinn was skilled with the bat and earned 37 runs before caught out.
Under 13B:
Game 1 – MVCA defeated by Bendigo District. Bendigo started strong with their opener retiring, and then only losing 1 wicket to Declan Cameron. Tight bowling especially from Sam Slatterie with 0 for 8 off 3, kept Bendigo to a reasonable total. Charlie Bull was solid with the bat for MVCA to scoring for MVCA with a solid 24 off 22 balls. He was supported by Jarred Bethell (C) on 12 off 37. Unfortunately though MVCA didn’t quite catch Bendigo’s total, finishing seven runs short.
Game 2 – MVCA defeated Shepparton. MVCA lead the charge with a solid show of batting. Bull led the way, opening and retiring on 53 as well as Giordan Lukies retiring on 18 not out with, their team posting a score of only 1 for 109. Chasing MVCA’s total, Shepparton lost their opener for a duck on a catch to Charlie McCallum off Slatterie’s bowling. Tight bowling from MVCA saw Slatterie finish with 3 for 9 off 5, Bodey Webb 3 for 13 off 5 and McCallum 2 for 7 off 3.1
Game 3 – MVCA defeated by Seymour District. With Seymour batting first, Darcy McNicholas was the highlight of the match, hitting four boundaries to a final result of 54 runs. Charlie Bull managed to run out Lachlan Peggie after Peggie garnered 4. The innings ended at 7/140 (cc), and it set a challenge MVCA couldn’t beat. With Bull first to the crease, he put down a promising 20 runs before Giordan Lukies followed with another 25. B Webb was out on an LBW. D Cameron ran 21 and not out. Under 14:
Game 1 – MVCA defeated by Goulburn Murray. An early run out in the first over by Oscar Marshall set MVCA up nicely. However two following lengthy Goulburn Murray partnerships saw Goulburn Murray putting runs on the board. In the chase, Mikael Bennett-Artavilla came in middle order to steady the ship and put a healthy 41 runs on the board to top score for MVCA.
Game 2 – MVCA defeated by Bendigo District. Some exceptional batting by Bendigo saw them only lose two wickets for their innings. Codi Bowden and J Webb took the wickets of the openers. In the chase for 237 runs, MVCA unfortunately had a batting collapse and were never going to be able to stay in it. Logan White (C) topped scored with the bat for MVCA.
Game 3 – Bendigo versus Shepparton. Game postponed due to COVID case.
Under 15:
Game 1 – MVCA defeated Seymour by 92 runs. Solid batting by Nate Grieves, top scoring for MVCA on 43 and Darby Salter and Hunter Hardwidge both on 17 set a solid 135 for MVCA. Seymour were never in the chase; all out for 43. Bowling results were impressive, however, with Jordan Sykes 2 for 6 off 4, Sonny Rowe 2 for 5 off 6, Hardwidge 2 for 7 off 5, Charlie Paton 2 for 7 off 5 and Cooper Adkins 2 for 3 off 1.2.
Game 2 – MVCA defeated by Shepparton. Shepparton’s top order batters hit hard and fast, keeping the run rate ticking over very quickly. Luckily, three golden ducks in the tail order slowed the run rate. Rowe managing 2 for 39 off 7.3 and Adkins 2 for 29 off 6.
In their innings, MVCA struggled to put together partnerships with Oliver Mynard top scoring on 21 and Hardwidge on 19. However four ducks meant Shepparton kept MVCA to 94 runs.
Game 3 – MVCA defeated by Bendigo. A low scoring first innings was a disappointment for the MVCA side, finishing on 9/94 (cc). They did manage to bat their 45 overs, with Hunter Hardwidge and Sonny Rowe pulling out some good moves to garner 24 and 22 runs respectively. Charlie Paton (12) and Cooper Adkins (8) also helped improve the tally. An unlucky Cody Harris earned 7 before run out by Bendigo’s Gus Hay and Jacob Austin. Bendigo’s innings saw Kyen Burrill-Grinton first to the crease, earning 16 Their runs were quicker, building to 3/96 before the match was called in just 24 overs.
Under 16:
Game 1 – MVCA defeated by Goulburn Murray by 5 wickets. Solid batting by Nathan Gossayn (31) and Travis Lawton (26) set MVCA up for a good total James Hooper was also solid, with 11 not out to post a total of 114 off 45 overs. Tight bowling by Kane Rattray-Robert 1 for 17 off 6, J Hooper 2 for 17 off 6 and Lawton 2 for 15 off 6 saw Goulburn Murray post a total of 115 to take out the game.
Game 2 –MVCA defeated by Bendigo. MCVA had a tough day out against Bendigo who managed more than 300 runs when batting first. J Hopper claimed both of MCVA’s wickets. In the chase, MVCA managed a respectable 135 before bing run out. Kane Rattray-Robert was the top scored with the bat for MVCA, with 48.
Game 3 – MVCA drew Shepparton. Match abandoned.
Under 17:
Game 1 – MVCA defeated by Goulburn Murray. MVCA’s Charlie Hillier (21), Noah Sneddon (20) and Matt Whelan (16) helped MVCA set a solid 105. With Noah Iddles taking catches both of Goulburn Murray’s openers were dismissed cheaply. Unfortunately, consistent run scoring saw Goulburn Murray win by 58 runs. Some notable performances for MVCA included Iddles 4 catches, Archie Mason 2 catches, and Jake Poole (C) 3 for 23 off 6.
Game 2 – MVCA defeated Sunraysia by 8 wickets. MVCA — through very tight bowling — kept Sunraysia to 25 runs all out off 16.5 overs. Hillier 3 for 7 off 5, Whelan 2 for 8 off 5, Jacob Champagne 2 for 9 off 3.5 and Mason 1 for 0 off 3. In the chase it took MVCA 5.3 overs to surpass Sunraysia with Mason top scoring for MVCA with 12.
Game 3 – MVCA defeated by Shepparton. Batting second, MCVA were not able to catch up to Shepparton’s 5/194. Hillier (one), Whelan (three) and Sneddon (one) all claimed scalps when bowling, When it came to batting, Iddles top scored with 20.
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