Billy McLay proved tougher to remove than a pasta stain on your favourite Tupperware container on Saturday.
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Kyabram's keeper-batsman provided a brilliant foundation for his side after it was sent in by Mooroopna in a crucial round 11 Haisman Shield contest.
From almost three-and-a-half hours at the Mooroopna Main Oval crease, McLay negotiated 163 deliveries and made 56 runs before the Cats were finally able to send him back to the sheds.
By then the Redbacks had 149 runs on the board and an uptick in scoring from the lower order steered the outfit to 234 all-out in 77 overs.
McLay found willing partners throughout his knock, putting on 42 with Aaron Gillespie (21) for the second wicket, 84 alongside captain Kyle Mueller (49) for the third and 23 with Paul Newman (13) for the fourth before departing himself for a second A-grade half-century in little over a month.
Paul Parsons (37 from 51) and Cade Mueller (25 from 57) then hit nine boundaries between them to make sure the Redbacks posted what could prove to be a winning total.
The Cats never let up with ball in hand though, following up from last week's effort of dismissing Old Students for 29 by inviting the visitors to bat first and snaring the first wicket of the day with no runs on the board.
Aaron DiFede (3-35), Henry Barrow (3-43) and Jake Wright (3-44) found plenty of reward for their efforts, while A-grade debutant Riley Moon's seven overs cost just 18 runs - with only 11 of those off the bat of a Kyabram player.
English import Barrow now has 31 victims for the summer and is locked in a fierce race with Northerners all-rounder Joel Brett (30) for line honours in the Cricket Shepparton top tier bowling stakes.
STATE OF PLAY
Kyabram 234 (Billy McLay 56, Kyle Mueller 49, Paul Parsons 37, Aaron DiFede 3-35, Henry Barrow 3-43, Jake Wright 3-44) v Mooroopna.
STAR PLAYER
Billy McLay (Kyabram): Like a barnacle on the hull of a ship, McLay clamped himself to the Mooroopna Main Oval crease on Saturday and would not let go. His 56-run innings came from 163 deliveries and more than 200 minutes in the middle.
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