Sport

Cats claim all ten, but Old Students well-poised in Haisman Shield final round

By Callum Farquhar

Mar 1, 2026

Mooroopna’s Jack Gaskill claimed three poles on Saturday. Photo by Megan Fisher

While finals aren’t on the line for either Mooroopna or Old Students in the last round of Cricket Shepparton’s Haisman Shield, it’s evident both sides are playing for pride.

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It’s difficult to tell which side has the upper hand after an even day one saw Old Students post a total of 221 but lost all 10 wickets to allow Mooroopna a brief, yet potent start with the willow before the day’s play ended on Saturday.

The Students were rocked early by a range of Mooroopna bowlers, despite not losing a wicket for the opening 10 overs.

Maninderjit Singh’s dismissal for 12 set up a dominant Cats patch, with fellow opener Hayden Kruse falling in the next over for eight, placing Old Students at 2-25.

Three maidens in the next six overs placed scoreboard pressure on the Students again and drew a false shot from Andre Gagliardi, the first drop departing for two off 23.

Oscar Lambourn (10) and skipper Felix Odell (12) failed to last long at the crease too, leaving Old Students at 5-55 and the Cats throwing a final round punch.

But young gun Sam O’Brien and Rehan Bari ensured Mooroopna will have to fight for its victory on day two, posting a 29-over stand that yielded 83 runs before Bari fell on 46.

O’Brien would continue on with Callan McCabe however, putting together 55 runs before the former fell on 66 in the 69th over.

Mooroopna would find its bowling fire again in the final stages of the innings however, with three wickets in three overs ending Old Students’ time at the crease four overs short, and handing the home side one over to begin tracking down the target.

With just six balls to face, the key for the Cats was survival.

A dot to start had Old Students chirping, but a single for Ryan Hallum ensured his wicket was safe until next week.

Cooper Sleeth then blocked out three dots of McCabe pace, avoiding any fishing out beyond the stumps line, but a looser final ball of the over was dispatched, Sleeth netting a four and placing Mooroopna at 0-5 at stumps on day one.

Neither side has claimed a win in the 2026 calendar year, with day two set to either bring victory at long last, or force a wait through winter before the next chance at triumph comes.