Numurkah's Riley Dawson whips it away on the leg side.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Old Students have taken a seat and been taught a lesson in batting by a composed Numurkah outfit, now on the verge of earning a spot in this year’s Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield finals series.
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The Blues were on the road to Kialla Park Reserve, and sure took inspiration from the highways to get to the venue, treating the pitch as such in a potent display with the willow.
Although Matthew Price struggled to get moving and fell for one off 18 balls, with Numurkah initially 1-10, Dustan Ebborn and Raguvaran Aravinthan returned to form after dismal round nine displays, each raising the bat after making knocks of 63 and 79 respectively.
The duo combined for a 116 run partnership before Ebborn fell, but Aravinthan would keep up the pace with Kyren Dawson.
At 3-161, Numurkah was cruising but Old Students began to find some groove on its home turf before the day was done.
No bat from the middle order would produce a score over 16, while lower order heroes from round nine Liam Gledhill and Matt Cline could only produce scores of two and 14 respectively.
However, Students rarely found a quick wicket, or a quick succession of wickets either, as a well-paced Blues innings fought through the pitch’s conditions to see out all 80 overs, finishing on a score of 9-251.
Old Students bowler Felix Odell nabbed three wickets.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Numurkah's Riley Dawson whips it away on the leg side.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Old Students wicket keeper Maninderjit Singh appeals after Numurkah's Liam Gledhill caught the edge.
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Megan Fisher
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A tough chance is missed for Old Students.
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Megan Fisher
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Old students bowler Edward Pike prepares to rip some spin.
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Megan Fisher
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Old students bowler Tiron Fernando flashes a wry smile.
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Megan Fisher
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Numurkah Riley Dawson fends off the ball.
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Megan Fisher
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Old Students fielder Oscar Lambourne makes a diving catch.
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Megan Fisher
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Old Students celebrating as they sense a turn of the tide.
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Megan Fisher
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Numurkah's Riley Dawson clips it off the pads safely into a gap.
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Megan Fisher
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Old Students bowler Tiron Fernando has a shout.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Old Students require a run rate of 3.15 per over to topple the current fourth-placed Blues, but it will require a trend-stopping, record-breaking performance with the stick.
Old Students have yet to beat a side ranked higher than its ladder position this season, and besides a dominant performance against likely wooden spooners Pine Lodge, the Kialla club has yet to produce a score over 200 this season also.
Day two will show if Numurkah’s class is all too strong, or if the Students can take learnings from the Blues’ batting lesson and produce a boilover that will impact the top six standings.
THE GAME SO FAR
Numurkah 9-251 (Raguvaran Aravinthan 79, Dustan Ebborn 63, Felix Odell 3-54) lead Old Students yet to bat
