Shepparton Youth Club United put a large run tally on the scoreboard against Tatura in round five of the Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield, yet it didn’t deter the red, white and blue from winning its final one-day game of the season, with plenty of solid contributions across the batting line-up seeing the home side through.
SYCU, which is still yet to win a game this season, put together its highest total of the year, losing five wickets en route to 207.
Baxter Plunkett did all he could to stem the bleeding on what was regarded as a wicket with “not a heap doing” by Tatura coach Daniel Coombs, while a rapid outfield had plenty of nicks and edges fly across the turf to the boundary rope at pace.
Plunkett dismissed batters Keegan Armstrong and Sebastian Menzhausen for two and eight respectively, while Tyler Green found more luck with the bat to reach 36 before he departed five runs prior to Menzhausen’s long walk.
Oliver Swain and Jake Callow were the resistance to Plunkett’s weaponry with the ball; Swain slowly knocking the ball about as Callow raced to 70 off 66 balls.
An 81-run partnership had formed between the pair before Swain continued to dig in with Shobhit Sabharwal, who would score the bulk of the pair’s 57-run stand, leaving the crease five shy of a half-ton.
Fifteen runs from the final over and a couple of dropped catches prior, saw SYCU’s total balloon out to 207, a quietly frustrating lapse for Coombs and his men.
“We had them in a bit of trouble, but they scored a few in the last few overs and we dropped a few catches,” Coombs said.
“But to be fair, there was not a heap doing in the wicket, and it was a quick outfield.
“Baxter Plunkett bowled really for us and he took good early wickets.”
Coombs’ side then continued what is becoming Tatura’s batting routine – one that has its pros and cons.
Five batters made scores between 20 and 29 and, while the Tatura coach is happy with the ability to make a start, he knows there will need to be a higher conversion rate into 50s and above if the club is to push for a finals spot.
“It’s been the story of the season so far,” Coombs said.
“We’ve got starts and then not gone on with it, so we could’ve done the win yesterday a bit better.
“But they are solid contributions and the partnership at the end was brilliant, they did it calmly and paced it well to win with nine balls to spare.”
That partnership consisted of Joshua Catalano and Jess Petherick, batters eight and nine in the order, which combined for a 41-run stand to see Tatura home for 7-209.
It highlights the batting depth Tatura holds, arguably the deepest in the competition, which Coombs believes will help the club as two-day fixtures begin this week.
“I think two-day suits us, we’ve got a long batting list, we just need those stronger contributions,” he said.
“We’ve got a bowling attack that can bowl long overs too, so it’s going to be a tough game (against Mooroopna in round six), quite a big game early in the year, but I think we’ll be well suited.”
Five clubs sit with a 3-2 record, making Tatura’s clash with the Cats a potential ladder-shaper for the immediate and distant future of the season, while SYCU will have to defeat Waaia if it is to record its first win of the season in round six.
THE GAME
SYCU 5-207 (Jake Callow 70, Shobhit Sabharwal 45, Baxter Plunkett 4-47) lt Tatura 7-209 (Lachlan Magee 45, Joshua Catalano 29 not out, Connor Green 2-30)
STAR PLAYER
Jake Callow (SYCU): While it wasn’t SYCU’s day, Callow’s supreme knock of 70 off 66 gave the visitor every chance and, even though the bowling outfit came three wickets shy, a wicketkeeper’s catch and run out assist had Callow as one of the more influential fielders for United.
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