PREMIUM
News

B-grade | Katandra and Numurkah book spots in grand final

author avatar

The challengers for the upcoming Cricket Shepparton Clyde Young Shield grand final have been locked in, with Katandra and Numurkah set to square off for glory.

After the past couple of years of meeting in the A-grade final, the two clubs are set to challenge for the B-grade title this weekend.

Numurkah toughed out a tense semi-final against Undera to salute by three wickets, while Katandra cruised to a comfortable win against Shepparton United.

The biggest shock out of the weekend came when Katandra knocked off United by a whopping 162 runs at Katandra Recreation Reserve, with the competition's minor premier sent packing in straight sets.

A superb batting performance from Katandra, led by man-of-the-match Josh McKinnon, was the catalyst for victory, after the Eagles posted an enormous 8-280 off 80 overs.

McKinnon scored his highest total of the summer, with an impressive 98 runs off 132 deliveries at the top of the order.

The opener crunched 12 boundaries and one maximum as he fell two agonising runs short of a magical century.

McKinnon partnered up with fellow opener Mitch Black, who scored a classy 56, for a match-winning 157-run opening partnership.

And despite losing three quick wickets when McKinnon departed, the Eagles were able to press on as Ray Ireland contributed a sublime 60 off 83 deliveries and whacked eight boundaries as Katandra reached 280 runs.

Staring at a huge run chase, Shepparton United faltered with the bat and coughed up a number of cheap wickets twice in its innings.

The first stumble happened when opener Travis Gillin departed for 25, the next two wickets went for nine runs and they were left 3-42.

And the next mini-collapse happened 19 runs later, as United lost 3-2 and slumped to 6-63.

Katandra's Andrew Nicholls stood tall with terrific bowling figures of 4-25, while Nick Minogue (2-5) and Ryleigh Shannon (2-29) chipped in with support to rattle United for 118.

● Meanwhile, it was a great win by Numurkah against Undera at Numurkah Showgrounds, with the Blues hanging on by three wickets in a close contest.

Teenage sensation Bailey Smith finished unbeaten on 49 runs and steered Numurkah to 7-158 from 71 overs, in reply to Undera's total of 154.