Nagambie’s trip to Shepparton was unsuccessful on Sunday, October 13, as it fell to a heavy defeat in the opening round of Goulburn Murray Cricket women’s action.

Sent in to bat by the lengthily named Shepparton Youth Club United Cricket Club at V.E. Vibert Reserve, the Lakers were looking for revenge against the Kangaroos who knocked them out of the T20 competition last season in a tightly fought elimination final clash.

Things started positively for the Lakers, with openers Amber Langham and Shelley Houston having a 19-run opening stand before Diane Poole ended Houston’s innings on nine runs.

Two balls later, Poole struck again, removing Breanna Davison for four to leave Nagambie struggling at 2-23.

Poole claimed a third wicket when Langham exited on seven runs as the Lakers sunk to 3-32.

When the situation looked dire, captain Kait Carracher entered the game and immediately made an impact, scoring 17 straight runs to lead the Lakers to 3-49 halfway through the innings.

Disaster struck after the drinks breaks as Mel Saunders dismissed Kelsey Abbott and Sandy Ezard for a duck, then Carracher exited at the hands of Stacey Lothian for 31 as Nagambie sunk to 6-53.

Carracher’s dismissal stalled the Lakers’ run rate completely, as the tail order struggled to find the gaps in the field.

By innings’ end, the Lakers had 8-68 on the board and victory seemed as far away from them as Nagambie was from Shepparton.

Co-coaches Will O'Brien and Blair Taylor-Lloyd’s prayers were answered in the early overs of the Kangaroos’ innings as Sharay Slivarich and Davison quickly left the SYCUCC struggling at 2-16.

When Silvarich knocked over Jessie Barassi's stumps to leave the Kangaroos at 3-26 in the fourth over, murmurs of an upset on the card were beginning to become louder around the field.

It was not meant to be for Nagambie, though. Number three Mel Saunders did what no other SYCUCC batter could do and dominated the Lakers’ attacks to score 47 runs not out off 29 balls, as Shepparton took the win in eight overs.

The games do not get easier for the Lakers as next up is a home clash against defending premier Mooroopna.

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Tuesday, 3rd October 2023

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