Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield’s closing round pitted its second and third ranked sides against each other for day one of the red ball clash, and at stumps, it’s like splitting hairs trying to decipher who has the upper hand.
Numurkah wouldn’t be overly confident having banked 180 runs.
But after losing two early wickets late in the day, neither would the Tigers.
The race to secure a home final is hotting up, and it took some serious middle-order grit from the Blues at Deakin Reserve to keep them in the hunt at all.
Batting first, Numurkah lost Matt Price for cheap, snicking off for four in the third over as Dwain Vidler got the hosts out to a surging start.
From there, Dustan Ebborn and Raguvaran Aravinthan looked to carve out a concrete partnership and tick over the run rate - and for a time, they did.
However, following one instance of exemplary fielding and another of calamitous communication, both were sent packing.
Connor Hayes’ diamond of a throw from deep had Ebborn walking for 18, and one over later, Aravinthan was the victim of an unfortunate mixup with youngster Kyren Dawson and took leave on 24.
Dylan Grandell and Dawson were gone for not many in the space of a few overs, leaving Numurkah teetering at 5-67, and 6-69 shortly after once Riley Dawson top-edged one straight into Jarrod Wakeling’s hands.
But one Blue was determined to make a stand: Kody Jackson.
The innings composed by Numurkah’s number six had defiance scribbled all over it, taking the Blues from a state of panic to one of relative calm.
Jackson was finally undone by Ramadan Yze (3-49) in the 65th over, slapping a wide delivery into Vidler’s mitts and bringing a fine innings of 75 off 132 balls to a close.
His departure triggered the final few dominoes to fall, seeing Numurkah round out at 180 with plenty of work to do once the new ball was busted out.
Knowing the position they were in, the Blues’ quicks obliged.
Dawson - of the Riley variety - had his side chirping when he cannoned one into Jack McCarten’s back pad for 14, and elation soon turned to ecstasy when Matt Cline made a mess of Nate Earl’s middle stump on two.
The Tigers will resume at 2-18 on day two with Sam Holland (two not out) and Tyler Larkin (zero) tasked with dragging their side towards victory, with 163 required for the win.
THE GAME SO FAR
Numurkah 180 (Kody Jackson 75, Raguvaran Aravinthan 24, Ramadan Yze 3-49) lead Central Park-St Brendan’s 2-18 (Jack McCarten 14, Sam Holland two not out)
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