Tatura came agonisingly close to clinching its first win of the season at the weekend.
In the opening round of the Cricket Shepparton A-grade Twenty20 competition, Tatura suffered a two-wicket loss to Mooroopna in a thrilling contest at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve.
Chasing Tatura's total of 8-114, the scores were tied with one ball remaining in the match.
But a gutsy boundary from Mooroopna's Will Dundon broke the hearts of Tatura's young outfit, as the hosts finished 8-118 after 20 overs.
In stifling conditions, Tatura got off to a brilliant start after being sent in to bat.
First-year skipper Jayden Armstrong (31 runs), along with younger brother Blake (18), recorded a handy 48-run opening partnership — which laid the platform for Tatura's innings.
Mooroopna's Simon D'Elia (3-20) bowled tidy lines to quell the away side's influence.
The start of the second innings was a good one for Tatura, with two early wickets giving it ascendency.
However, an inspiring 43-run knock from Jake Wright lifted Mooroopna into a winning position.
● Kyabram star Paul Newman blasted an amazing 66 not out from 36 deliveries in the Redbacks’ nine-wicket thrashing of Karramomus.
Newman's damaging knock left everyone in awe as he crunched six boundaries and five sixes to guide Kyabram to 1-117 off 12.5 overs.
The result catapults the Redbacks to the top of the Twenty20 table.
● Central Park-St Brendan's gun Brendan Scott shone with the bat and led his side to an eight-wicket drubbing of Numurkah.
Scott finished unbeaten on 61 runs off 37 deliveries as the Tigers chased down the Blues’ total of 7-79 with seven overs to spare.
The all-round maestro showcased his classy talents earlier in the match and grabbed 2-3 from two overs.
Teammates Aidan Lloyd (2-10) and Charlie Boyer (2-9) provided excellent support in the win.
● Nagambie skipper Mark Nolan was back doing what he does best in his side's gritty seven-run win over Euroa.
Nolan knocked up another half-century with a dazzling 67-run knock, while teammate Kasey Duncan (36) got some runs under his belt as Nagambie reached 3-154 batting first.
Euroa lost an early wicket, but young gun Josh Robertson (32 runs) and Vaughan Kirk (41) steadied the ship with a crucial 73-run partnership.
A late flurry from Sham Dadallage (35 runs) almost pulled the home side over the line, but Nolan (4-14) had other ideas.
● In the Princess Park double-header, it was a mixed result for the home side.
Shepparton United claimed the opening match over Northerners by five wickets — thanks to Steve Tate's (57 runs) half-century — before suffering a six-wicket defeat to Katandra.
After posting 9-117 against the Eagles, United was unable to stave off the visitors as star all-rounder Andrew Riordan went berserk with the willow.
Riordan finished unbeaten on 80 off 61 deliveries — eight boundaries and two sixes — as Katandra won in the final over of the match
● An incredible man-of-the-match performance from Liam Evans helped Waaia clinch victory over Old Students.
The talented all-rounder notched 66 runs and collected 4-26 as Waaia pulled off a 32-run win.
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