Under a young summer sky, Cobram Tigers hosted Barooga Mill End in Round eight of Murray Valley Cricket Association.
The visitor won the toss and elected to bowl.
Cobram opened its batting with one of its stronger line-ups, with Shaun Downie and Jimmy Daniel taking up the willow to get their side off to a resounding start.
But with the long-awaited return of South African import Riyaad Henry to Barooga, the visitor had other plans.
Barooga vice-captain Brendan Lewis said having Henry in the side again gave the outfit greater confidence.
“Riyaad does come with a bit of a fear factor as well, because he’s played here before,” he said.
“A lot of people remember him from then.”
The South African and Barooga coach-captain quickly dispatched Downie on 1-3, while Lewis soon sent Daniel packing for the Cobram gazebo on 2-23.
Henry would go on to stamp his authority by taking 3-25, while Lewis settled on 3-20 and Lachlan Sutton finished with 2-25.
For Cobram, Adam De Cicco took to the crease, making 52 from 75 balls with three fours in the process.
But despite the showing from Barooga, the visitor still found itself with a challenge of chasing down the host’s 9-169 from 44 overs.
And so Sutton opened the batting for the Hawks, tallying 15 from 34 before being caught lbw by Daniel.
Zach Dunn posted a solid 23 from 62 balls, while Hugh Sutton went on to make 18 from 16 with three fours — the most fours for his side on the day.
But despite Barooga’s efforts, it could only post 9-116 before stumps were declared.
“They’re a very well-drilled team and they’re a group of blokes who have played at a lot of cricket together,” Lewis said of Cobram.
“It works for them and the results keep proving that.”
It was also a bittersweet moment for Cobram.
Long-time club veteran Manny Artavilla featured in his final match — and 200th appearance — for the black and yellow A-grade.
“From the Barooga Cricket Club, we congratulate Manny on his 200 A-grade games. He’s played a lot of cricket in the Murray Valley comp for a long time,” Lewis said.
Across the district, the Saints (10-62) fell to Nathalia (2-64), while a show of determined bowling from Keplar Lukies with 3-13 helped give Katamatite (0-68) a cruisey win over Finley CC (10-67).
Elsewhere, a century from Deniliquin’s Griegan French (101 from 124 not out) and efforts from Brodie Bennett (60 from 40 not out) gave the Rhinos a 117-run victory over Tocumwal.
Coming up to Round nine of the association this weekend, Cobram faces Finley CC at Finley, while Barooga will clash with fourth-placed Katamatite at home.
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