Haisman Shield - Kyabram v Mooroopna

Star player

Charlie McLay (Kyabram): Efficiency, accuracy and lethal influence; McLay had it all on Saturday. While his teammates set a platform in the first innings, McLay granted his side the points with a menacing performance with the leather.

Following a 107-run win over Mooroopna on Saturday, Kyabram have now sidled up alongside Katandra in second on the Haisman Shield ladder as the competition approaches its boiling point.

Posting 234 in day one, Kyabram pulled no punches with the new ball as it plundered Mooroopna for 127 on its home deck.

Strike bowler Charlie McLay was the main culprit for the Redbacks, taking 4-16 from 14.4 overs while Angus McKenzie and Alec Young got in on the act with two wickets apiece.

Matt MaCansh was the first to go, misplacing a shot directly into the palms of Kyle Mueller on eight, before Brady Mulcahy went in similar fashion to leave Mooroopna on 2/36.

It seemed as though the hosts had survived the early onslaught as Brodie McDonald began to ease the pressure by venturing into the twenties, but his dismissal on 23 only signalled the start of a torrid stint at the crease for Mooroopna.

Immaculate bowling from the Redbacks attack immediately ripped the rug from beneath Mooroopna’s run chase, obliterating its middle order during a clinic which saw the hosts lose 7-24.

Following Kyabram’s purple patch with the ball, Simon D’Elia dug his spikes in to try and recover some form of stability for the hosts, clubbing his way to 27 before McLay sent one straight through the gates of Riley Moon midway through the 60th over to end the days play.

This weekend will hold the biggest challenge of the Redbacks campaign to date with the side set to face first-placed Numurkah in the penultimate round of the home and away season.

Buoyed by a comprehensive victory over Old Students, the Blues will undoubtedly looking to round out the season in fine fashion in order to guarantee a best possible finals run.