Notre Dame Central Park-St Brendan's celebrate a wicket.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
An eight-day rain delay failed to halt Notre Dame Central Park-St Brendan’s march to Cricket Shepparton’s under-16 premiership shield.
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The Tigers held off a gallant Karramomus by 39 runs in Monday’s finale at Mooroopna Reserve, forced to bide their time to get on the park after play was suspended on March 1.
The Bloods resumed their innings at 1-60 in pursuit of the Combine’s first-innings total of 6-229, but with 170 runs to get in 26 overs, they were forced to shake off some early danger.
Skipper Toby Keady and Jackson Crouch’s partnership lasted just two balls into the day, with a mix-up between the stumps and some sharp fielding from Clancy Keenan off his own bowling seeing Crouch run out.
Thomas Byers then joined Keady at the crease, and the pair's 111-run partnership ignited some belief in the Bloods camp.
Karramomus batter Toby Keady looks to launch one out of the ground.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Austen Hogeboom stops the ball.
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Megan Fisher
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The message is clear from the Karramomus bench.
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Megan Fisher
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Karramomus batter Toby Keady drives down the ground.
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Megan Fisher
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Tigers bowler Nate Yze gets ready to go again.
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Megan Fisher
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Karramomus batter Thomas Byers opts for the pull shot.
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Megan Fisher
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NDCPStB fielder Cody Costello tracks down the ball.
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Megan Fisher
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NDCPStB bowler Clancy Keenan lets it rip.
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Megan Fisher
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NDCPStB wicket keeper Gus Byrne whips the bails off as the Tigers claim a run out.
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Megan Fisher
However, the Tigers’ bowling brigade, led by economic seven over spells from Edi Waghorn (0-29) and Austen Hogeboom (0-19), turned the screws to ensure the Bloods would need more than 10 an over with as many overs remaining.
With the required run rate creeping up and Keady’s stand ending at 60 runs after retiring not out, Joel James joined Byers at the crease and crafted a brisk 36-ball 40.
But a Dudgeon double-strike – bowled Ryder, caught Hudson – that dismissed James and the heartbreaking run-out of Byers just one run shy of his half-century sealed the Tigers' triumph as Karramomus finished on 4-190.
Ryder Dudgeon finished with leading figures of 2-35 off his seven overs, while Gus Byrne’s unbeaten 60, 55 to Nate Yze, and important cameos from Hogeboom (37 not out) and Waghorn (25) firing the Tigers to their imposing day one total.
It’s the Combine’s first under-16 A-grade premiership since the 2017-18 season, and the Ramadan Yze-coached Tigers will have the distinction of holding the invincibles tag after going through the campaign undefeated.
THE GAME
Notre Dame Central Park-St Brendan’s 6-229 (Gus Byrne 60 retired not out, Nate Yze 55, Joel James 1-16) def Karramomus 4-190 (Toby Keady 60 retired not out, Thomas Byers 49, Ryder Dudgeon 2-35)
