The hosting Redbacks threw haymaker after haymaker at an unassuming Pine Lodge side hoping to cause a Haisman Shield upset, but in this bout, the bookie’s odds were correct.
Facing a Kyabram outfit with just one loss to its name all season, the Lodgers got off to a dream start however when Redbacks opener Kyle Fitzgerald chopped on for a duck inside five overs.
This would be a moment he would rue vehemently.
The rest of Kyabram’s top four went on to post scores, and fellow opener Billy McLay wouldn’t be dismissed until the Redbacks had smashed through the 100-run barrier at a rate of knots, getting there in 30 overs.
He fell victim to Dylan Hardy on 47, seeing his bails knocked off and giving the Pine Lodge players something to chirp about.
But the respite didn’t last long.
The end of that 93 run partnership brought reigning Lightfoot Medallist Kyle Mueller to the middle, and though he hasn’t quite hit the same heights as last season yet, the mercurial left hander was in the mood.
All the while, first drop Alex Young had been whittling away at the scoreboard, chalking up a tidy half century and looking poised for a ton.
That dream was put on hold as rain halted play in the 33rd over, and the break favoured the Lodgers as Young nicked to the keeper three balls after the restart, gone for 65.
From there, Kyabram’s middle order was littered with starts but none, other than Mueller, could kick on before seeing their innings be cut short by an errant shot that found a fielders’ hands.
Mueller was the steady hand throughout, and as he crept closer to what would be his first ton of the campaign, things seemed inevitable.
But he too followed suit of his fallen partners.
A mistimed hook shot was caught on the boundary, forcing Mueller to the sheds on an agonising 93 and with the day’s play nearing a close, the Redbacks only batted a further five overs before opting to declare at 9-285.
What a decision that turned out to be.
In just 13 overs, Kyabram turned Pine Lodge’s assignment from hard to Mission Impossible as the hosts left the Lodgers’ chances hanging by a spooling thread.
Utter carnage was the order of the evening, Sam Langley grabbing the new pill and taking care of Liam Trevaskis and Hayden Cann for one and four respectively.
Jackson McLay then served up a supreme first change display, claiming 4-4 as Travis Knight (13 runs) proved the only Lodger to make an inroads as the visitors were left reeling at 6-26 at stumps.
Gurinder Singh and Travis Waters both stand at one not out, and if Pine Lodge can avoid being outrighted, let alone losing, it would be an absolutely remarkable feat.
THE GAME SO FAR
Kyabram 9-285 (Kyle Mueller 93, Alec Young 65, Ryan Kearney 3-62) lead Pine Lodge 6-26 (Travis Knight 13, Hayden Cann 4, Jackson McLay 4-4)
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