After a year out of the Cricket Shepparton Whitelock Shield season, Katandra has climbed the competition's pinnacle at the weekend.
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The Eagles, fresh off the E-grade minor premiership - were too strong for Pine Lodge on Saturday in the premiership decider at Vibert Reserve.
It was a comprehensive all-round performance from Katandra, led by star performer Rex Wardle, as it restricted the Lodgers to 105 runs and claimed an emphatic 81-run victory.
Katandra got off to a brilliant start after electing to bat first, with an important 79-run stand between Wardle (38 runs) and Matthew Koutroubas (35) the highlight of the innings.
The second-wicket partnership laid the platform for the rest of the Eagles’ innings, which allowed big-hitter Rob Trewin to wreak havoc when Koutroubas departed after 71 deliveries.
Trewin — fresh off his 180 effort last week — knocked Pine Lodge's chances of victory for six, as he crunched 42 runs from 22 deliveries.
Katandra's No. 4 bat piled on four boundaries and sent three sixes flying over the fence in his destructive innings.
Meanwhile, Wardle was just as important at the other end as he rotated the strike and built a 53-run partnership with Trewin.
The Lodgers’ Jarrad Newman (4-20) collected the scalps of both batsmen and was the standout performer for his side.
Unlike Katandra, Pine Lodge started its innings in horror style.
The Lodgers lost two wickets for 13 runs after Dillon Shelley (2-49) got his side off to a fantastic start.
Opener Ryan McKenna (35 runs) provided belief for the Lodgers, but his lack of batting partners impacted the run chase, as his side reached 5-78.
McKenna was the next wicket to go, with Wardle (2-10) proving he can bowl just as good as he can bat.
The next five wickets went in quick fashion as Tom Jeffrey ripped through the lower-order with venom and collected 4-19 from 4.2 overs.
Katandra president Andrew Nicholls was rapt and congratulated the team on its impressive season back in the competition.
“It was fantastic for the boys to get the win in their first year back in E-grade,” he said.
“Everyone is really rapt for them and they capped off a great season.
“The side had a fantastic mix of young and old players and they all played a strong role throughout the season and so I just want to congratulate everyone who contributed this year.”
THE GAME
Katandra 7-186 (Rob Trewin 42, Rex Wardle 38, Matthew Koutroubas 35, Jarrad Newman 4-20, Adam Pigatto 2-26) d Pine Lodge 105 (Ryan McKenna 35, Berwinder Singh 16, Tom Jeffrey 4-19, Rex Wardle 2-10)
STAR PLAYER
Rex Wardle (Katandra): It was a toss up between Wardle, Rob Trewin or Tom Jeffrey, but the performance with bat and ball edged Wardle across the line. His 38 runs from 69 deliveries anchored the innings, while his 2-10 involved the important wicket of Pine Lodge's top-scorer.
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