Old Students batter Felix Odell avoids Joel Beaumont’s attempt to catch him off guard.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
If Old Students needed a statement to put the Haisman Shield on notice, they’ve found it.
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The Kialla Park tenants perhaps didn’t hit the ground running with as much force as expected this season in Cricket Shepparton’s premier competition, but on Saturday, everything seemed to click.
Students welcomed a Katandra side that, while not in ideal form, possesses a stacked batting and bowling line up with the Eagles a strong pre-game favourite.
However, the hosts soon flipped that on its head.
Katandra won the toss and despite losing opener Corey Hickford early for nine runs, the Eagles navigated through the following 13 overs without loss and built a steady start through Stephen Barrett and Ben Pedretti.
Old Students’ Callan McCabe hears the death rattle.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Old Students’ Callan McCabe shows excellent technique with this drive.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Old Students’ Felix Odell punches and runs.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Katandra’s Ryleigh Shannon gives it the berries.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Katandra’s Joel Beaumont celebrates with team mates after a wicket.
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Megan Fisher
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Old Students batter Callan McCabe plays and misses.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Katandra’s Corey Hickford keeps the pill moving in the field.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
But as the saying goes: one brings two.
Barrett was the first to go on 36 and a few overs later Pedretti followed suit on an identical score, triggering a remarkable collapse that snowballed to losing 9-43, the Eagles all out for 123.
Mitch Black (15 not out) provided some middle order resistance for Katandra, but Students were stringent with their bowling as Rehan Bari (3-15), Jamie Carr (2-12) and Tiron Fernando (2-27) starred with ball in hand.
Students skipper Felix Odell said that second wicket was crucial to restricting Katandra to a gettable score and tightening the screws.
“I think they were about 1-80, so it was really key for us to get that breakthrough,” he said.
“From then, we were really able to apply the pressure and continue to take wickets which was really good.
“I’m really happy with the way the guys pulled it back from the position we were in and the way we were able to strangle them and bowl them out as cheaply as we did.”
Students lost youngster Sam O’Brien in the opening stages of its batting innings, but the dismissal did little to knock the hosts’ confidence.
Callan McCabe did the early legwork and was unlucky not to cash in after making a 27-run start, clean bowled by Joel Beaumont, but Odell himself made sure to pick up where his countryman left off.
The Students’ leader kept the scoreboard ticking over with a smartly-made 48 not out and, though Andre Gagliardi came and went for 13, Odell chalked off the remaining runs with Rehan Bari (17 not out) at the middle alongside him.
“In terms of our batting performance, it was a pretty comfortable run chase,” Odell said.
“Any time you’ve got one of those low scores, it can be tricky, so it was good the way we were able to knock that over with only three wickets down.”
Odell was especially pleased with his side’s ruthless edge in the first innings, stepping on Katandra’s throat after not capitalising against Waaia the week prior.
The ninth-ranked Students now switch their attention to Pine Lodge, their next opponent as the Haisman Shield ticks over into two-day cricket for the remainder of the season.
“We’ve been looking forward to the two-dayers starting, we probably see ourselves as a stronger two-day outfit than one-day,” Odell said.
“We’re happy with the way the season’s been broken up this year with the higher amount of two-day cricket.
“Pine Lodge this weekend over at their place, hoping to start off the two-day stuff as strongly as possible.”
THE GAME
Katandra 123 (Stephen Barrett 36, Ben Pedretti 36, Rehan Bari 3-15) lt Old Students 3-124 (Felix Odell 48 not out, Calan McCabe 27, Corey Hickford 2-21)
STAR PLAYER
Felix Odell (Old Students): After making starts in his past two matches, Saturday drew a composed, confidence-boosting knock of 48 not out from Odell that had Old Students in cruise control on the chase.
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