CPStB spin wiz claims five as Mueller, swashbuckling McLay prop up Redbacks total

The Redbacks ended the opening stanza of the first red ball game of the season with 189 runs on the board thanks to Mueller’s 57 runs, but he would be one of the five Kyabram batters to fall to the rampant Tigers’ veteran.

A steady opening partnership between Billy McLay and Cade Mueller was undone after the former was stumped for seven off Wakeling’s bowling, Tigers’ paceman Sam Holland then making Paul Parson’s stay at the crease a brief one with Wakeling snaffling a catch.

In-form competition runs leader Cade Mueller tipped in 30 runs to the Redbacks’ total before snicking off, again at Wakeling’s hands, and Andi Riza’s dismissal of Gus Byrne suddenly had Kyabram reduced to 4-79.

Mueller and Lukas Hanslow combined for a valuable 50-run partnership before the latter departed for 20 runs, and a slick four-over spell saw Ethan Hart and the all-important wicket of Mueller fall in the hands of the Tigers, both at the hands of Wakeling.

Charlie McLay, however, would not be content to just let CPStB roll through the Redbacks tail.

The swashbuckling Redback crunched six boundaries - two launched over the fence - for a quickfire 47 runs off only 37 deliveries, unbeaten as the wickets tumbled around him.

Kyabram’s innings was drawn to a close in the 54th over, with Wakeling’s fifth wicket and two to the crafty Ramadan Yze leaving the home side chasing 190 for victory.

With 22 overs to bat in the day, it would be Sam Langley with a searing eight-over spell dealing the Tigers an early blow.

The mercurial paceman knocked over Sam Holland in the third over, leaving Wakeling and Tyler Larkin to get through the remainder of the day unscathed.

Wakeling’s contribution with the bat ended on 29 runs, with Charlie McLay pouching a catch off his own bowling, leaving the Tigers 2-48 at the close of play and the game squarely in the balance.