Sport

Team composure delivers Redbacks’ maiden one-day title

By Gus Underwood

Dec 23, 2025

Kyabram has secured its maiden Cricket Shepparton A-grade one-day title after a disciplined effort against Central Park-St Brendan’s. Photo: Rechelle Zammit

Maturity and self belief have produced another first for Kyabram Cricket Club in its Cricket Shepparton era.

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That’s how Kyabram coach Jackson McLay summed up his team’s decisive and upset win over Central Park-St Brendan’s in Cricket Shepparton’s one-day Chris Keady final at Kyabram Recreation Reserve last Saturday.

McLay said his team’s ability to bat and bowl its way out of threatening situations was again the key to the historic win, which has completed the big three premiership wins in Cricket Shepparton for the club.

Kyabram's Samuel Langley claimed man of the match honours for his antics with the ball. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Kyabram claimed its first and only Haisman Shield win in the 2023-24 season and has secured two T20 titles since joining Cricket Shepparton.

Kyabram’s ability to fight back with bat and ball when in challenging situations again told the story of its latest triumph.

Kyabram's Tim Nelson plays a late cut. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Kyabram made a disastrous start with opener Kyle Fitzgerald and first drop Billy McLay dismissed in the first over, both without scoring.

But a rescue mission was then mounted by the experienced Paul Parsons and skipper Kyle Mueller, who opened the batting, to kick-start the winning Kyabram recovery.

Kyabram's Jackson McLay bowls a bumper. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

They added 49 for the third wicket, with Mueller making 39, while 79 runs were added to the Kyabram score for the loss of four wickets.

Cade Mueller with 20, Tim Nelson with 15 and Alec Young with a top score of 44 kept runs icing over for Kyabram before its final score was boosted to 182 with a fighting last-wicket stand of 32 from Charlie McLay (14) and Louis Sabbagh-Holt who finished with an unbeaten 18.

Kyabram's Tim Nelson and Alec Young talk tactics in the middle. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

In reply, the Tigers seemed to be in control, reaching 2-86, but a spectacular outfield catch by Kyle Mueller to dismiss main batting hope Connor Hayes for 13 triggered a fatal batting collapse in which the visitors lost seven wickets for 35 runs and crashed to all out for 139.

Ky pace bowler Sam Langley’s 3-29 off eight overs won him the Rohan Larkin Man Of The Match award.

Central Park's Tim Nelson is safe after a dive for the crease. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Langley received great support from fellow paceman Charlie McLay with 3-36 off nine overs, while Parsons chipped in with 2-18 off six overs.

Bowling spearhead Jackson McLay with 1-23 off nine overs and spinner Sabbagh-Holt with 1-21 off eight overs were also able to keep the visiting batters, led by opener Rhiley Lau (49) and Ramadan Yze (26 not out), under pressure to pull off the unlikely win.