Two tons set up back-to-back title

Concerns about the pitch and continued rainfall halted play further, and about 2.30pm play was called off.

Echuca’s status as minor premier saw it claim the premiership, its second straight top-grade flag.

“It was a great result by our boys, I honestly think we’ve been the best side all season,” Echuca captain Simon Maddox said.

“It’s just rewards for a great year.

“We said before finals we thought we hadn’t clicked.

“We’ve been one of the better sides all year, but we thought we had another few gears.”

And so it was in a demolition job with the bat.

Hinks and James dominated day one of the McMahon Shield decider against Nondies-Cohuna, leaving the reigning premier in the box seat to notch back-to-back flags heading into day two.

Both batters saluted grand final centuries with Hinks belting 108 runs off 189 deliveries and James smashing 116 off 158, powering Echuca to a score of 8-339 at stumps on day one.

Brendan Moyle (49) and Curtis Townrow (29) got Echuca off to a blistering start before Xavier Wishart claimed Nondies’ first wicket of the grand final, bowling Townrow.

Moyle shared a 66-run partnership with Hinks before a mix-up at the crease saw Moyle run out a run short of a deserved half-century.

What looks likely to be the decisive partnership was that of James — who hit his second ton of the season — and Hinks with the two centurions combining for a 181-run third-wicket knock.

James’ innings saw him awarded player-of-the-match honours in the second A-grade premiership for the young batsman.

Rhys Bradley had the best figures out of the Nondies-Cohuna bowling attack, claiming 4-80, but in his first A-grade grand final young quick Xavier Wishart ended with three, including the wicket of Townrow for 29.

For Nondies-Cohuna, the result brings to a close a season that saw the men in purple progress to their first decider.