Saturday Sundries are all the extra highlights from the weekend’s lower grade cricket — from the top run-scorer to the best bowling figures and anything else of interest from across the district’s grounds.

To make sure we don’t miss any classic moments, why not message Shepparton News Sport on social media or email us at sport@sheppnews.com.au

At last, every lower grade is up and about and the summer of cricket is in full swing, so it’s time to cast our ever-watchful eyes over some of the highlights you may have missed.

News photographer Holly Daniel was behind the lens as Karramomus took care of business in its Jim McGregor Shield opener at home to Invergordon.

Brewing up a storm

Things are generally looking up at Tatura Cricket Club at this early stage of the season.

The Haisman Shield contingent is all smiles after two wins with a highly-promising fortnight to come, but its Clyde Young Shield side made a pretty imposing statement of its own at Euroa’s expense.

Nobody stirred it up like Darcy Brewer, though, who invoked Magpie misery aplenty during a fearsome spell.

It’s one thing to give up just the 4-7 in 7.3 overs with a frightening economy of 0.92.

When three of those runs were wides, though, meaning you only give up four through actual hitting as Euroa is stifled into submission all out for 87. Downright menacing.

It’s the skittling kind of form that would earn you an A-grade call-up if you can find your groove like that often, but that’s not our call to make.

Everyone goes little but Stuart

Sometimes, unfortunately, you’re reminded that cricket is in fact a team sport.

It was a handy day out for Northerners in their Clyde Young Shield clash with Waaia as part of a new foray into full-time B-grade competition.

It was A-grade quality action from the boys in green, but the same could not be said for the Bombers bats.

Waaia needed upwards of 150 for a win and even 50 started to look distant sitting at 3-5 and, eventually, 5-27.

Poor old Matt Stuart, in at first drop, had to be wondering to himself, ‘What more could I possibly do?’

His 34 valiantly guided matters as best he could, but disaster reigned in his midst with nobody else registering more than four, witnessing five ducks on the way to a meek all out total of 48.

Having put up more than two-thirds of Waaia’s disastrous tally by himself, you have to feel for Stuart, who surely did no wrong, but alas, sometimes all you can do is watch the madness unfold — and he was in prime position to do so.

The Bears are back in town

Hate to dredge up old wounds, but ... the last time Ted Lindon and Trent Herbert put on their uniforms together, there were few happy faces at the end.

At the weekend, though, there were smiles all round for the Shepparton and Central Park-St Brendan’s duo as the year-round Deakin Reserve inhabitants landed across town for an S J Perry Shield encounter with Shepparton Youth Club United at Princess Park.

It wasn’t necessarily guaranteed to end that way as the Bears co-coach arrived with his side at 3-34 batting first against the Combine, but natural chemistry soon took hold once Herbert met him in the middle.

The two took all nine opposing bowlers for a ride, combining for 17 fours and a whopping 11 sixes in their respective innings, while building up a clutch 142-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Just quietly, it was a busy old innings for the poor umpires, forced to scurry in and repair the bails repeatedly after no fewer than six Tigers had their stumps knocked over.

More importantly, though, the Bears brigade broke through when they were most needed as Central Park cruised to 9-278, holding off a gallant home side to prevail by 25 runs.

Maybe things really are looking North

Back on a Northerners-Waaia match-up, this one at Bunbartha in the Whitelock Shield.

The Tallygaroopna-based ‘home’ side was up against it after electing to bat, riding a solid start from opener Lloyd Akers, but capitulating down the stretch as seven Waaia bowlers claimed a scalp and helped set an extremely gettable victory target of 91.

Northerners surely could hardly have believed their luck when captain Lee Simpson and Sam Coates combined to reduce Waaia’s top order to smithereens, the Bombers left languishing at a dismal 4-9.

Matt Daniel came through the middle and prevented the possibility of a Sydney Thunder-like batting destruction with a steadier knock, but at the end of the day, Northerners came away with a stunning set of points after Jedd Ring bowled Oscar Carey to dismiss Waaia for 88, prevailing by two runs.

This must have either been an extraordinary Bunbartha wicket or one of the more inspired close-quarters bowling performances you’ll see this season.

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Saturday, 30th September 2023

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