A premier cricket star has become the hero for Katamatite in round four of the Goulburn Murray Cricket Women’s competition.

In a thrilling low-scoring T20 contest under Saturday night lights, Nathalia was held to 7-74 in its innings as the Tigers clawed to a firm grasp on the premiership points.

But with ball in hand, the Purples too put the Tigers on a leash and, while wickets were rarer, the tight line and length and pressure in the field restricted Katty to a crawl towards the target score.

However, the Tigers’ patience would pay dividends.

With the top order still at the crease, emerging Victorian Pathways cricketer Alexis Iddles remained as a dangerous threat.

But with the likes of Abby Favaro (1-6 off four overs) and Evie Hawks (0-16, one maiden) keeping the door shut at the death, Katamatite’s required run rate ballooned out to 11 off the final over.

It required a heroic finish.

Katty’s Abigail Brooker, six off 25 balls to start the final over, utilised her game smarts to rotate the strike immediately to the star Tiger.

A loose delivery from Nathalia’s Nicola Olivia put a boundary on a silver platter for the premier cricket level Iddles, gladly sweeping fine down the leg side to the rope.

A looping slower ball the next delivery saw Iddles swing for the fences again, but was mistimed, the ball sailing past the bat untouched to the wicketkeeping gloves.

A fuller delivery was pitched next, Iddles scooping in on a cover drive, but it was fielded and prevented to a single, with Brooker back on strike.

Pulled to the leg side, Brooker again was able to scamper through for a quick single, placing the star power on strike with four runs required off the final ball.

Olivia wasted no time running in with pace, but the ball pitched short, providing a bounce right in the slot for Iddles.

Hooking down the leg side again, Olivia immediately threw her hands to her head as the Kookaburra raced away under lights towards the Nathalia Showgrounds rope.

Cheers from the boundary erupted, the Tigers reaching the exact target without a ball to spare for a seven-wicket win, 3-75 to 7-74.

It is Katamatite’s first win of the season, while Nathalia holds the same one-win two-loss record.

Meanwhile, Mooroopna is still yet to get on the board after a dramatic batting collapse against Rochester.

The Cats were 10 runs shy of victory with four overs to play, before the final three wickets fell in a near-successive clump.

Maggie Egglestone was bowled for 12 by Sarah Taylor, before the Rochester spinner bowled a pair of extras.

Rochester then caused a run out, before Cadence Major’s sharp glove work stumped the last Cats batter for a golden duck, abruptly ending what looked like a comfortable ride to Mooroopna’s opening victory of the season.

Rochester’s 7-92 defeated Mooroopna, all out for 88.

Nagambie remains in fine touch on top of the ladder with a 33-run win over Cooma, 6-110 powered by Christie Thomas’ 24 trumping Cooma’s 8-77 as Kayla Shepherd claimed a compelling 3-7.

Another thriller saw Moama pip Echuca by two runs as Delaney Laffy’s ridiculous figures of 3-2 off fours overs saved the game, albeit conceding those two runs in the final six balls to make the finish a severe nail-biter.

Shepparton Youth Club United held the bye in round four and returns to action against Nathalia at Princess Park on Sunday.

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Wednesday, 4th April 2029

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