After pushing through a tenacious top order, Moama celebrated with regularity as Tongala wickets began to tumble. Photos: Aidan Briggs
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Despite early resistance from Tongala, Moama has notched up another impressive win in the McMahon Shield.
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The round-three Goulburn Murray Cricket clash, held at Moama Recreation Reserve, saw Moama elect to send the Blues in after winning the toss.
Captain Alex Williams held the Tongala innings together, scoring 37.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
That decision looked as if it may backfire in the early going, as Tonny openers Alex Williams and Hudson Kellett quickly set about putting together a competitive total.
The pair hung around for 14 overs and added 44 runs before Matt Saunders finally managed the crucial breakthrough, skittling Kellett for 18.
New batsman Keagan Miller also proved hard to shift, and he and Williams put the Blues in a strong position of 2-70.
Russell Stockdale couldn’t make an impact with the bat, but snared three wickets with the ball.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Unfortunately, the rest of the order were unable to replicate the resilience of the Tongala top three.
Williams (37) and Adam Nunn (3) added another 10 before both were dismissed in quick succession.
Wickets started to fall in bunches, but a couple of partnerships kept the score respectable.
In the end, Tongala fell from 6-104 to all out 112 as the tail refused to wag in the face of Moama’s attack.
Adam Nunn saw his bails dislodged after he attempted to go big.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Williams and Kellett remained the highlights from the Tonny batsmen, Stephen Townsend (11) the only other double-figure scorer.
For Moama, Rishabh Kothari (3-18) had best figures, dismantling the middle order while also executing a run out.
Russell Stockdale (3-29) also took three wickets, while Saunders added two and Alex Kidd one.
Rishabh Kothari had best figures for Moama and executed a run out.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
The Moama run chase started with Tongala on the front foot, captain Williams removing Stockdale with just the second ball of the innings.
The run out of Fraser Buchanan with the score at 20 compounded troubles for Moama although it would soon rebound with some style.
Anthony McMahon and Saunders added 38 to the total, both scoring with intent, before McMahon fell caught and bowled to Jessie Johnstone.
The stroke play continued for Moama as Archie Teasdale joined Saunders, going at quicker than a run a ball.
Stephen Townsend hustles between the wickets.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Tongala was helpless to slow down the pair, who smashed eight fours and two sixes between them as Moama made the 113 required with no further loss, and in just 20.1 overs.
Saunders finished on 32 unbeaten, just ahead of Teasdale on 30, while McMahon added 28.
Williams (1-31) and Johnstone’s (1-32) took two of the wickets while the third came by way of run out.
The Moama slips cordon go up for a massive appeal.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Moama, now in second place on the table, is one of three sides with a bye for the next two weekends as the league heads into the first of five total two-day fixtures.
Tongala will host the might of Echuca in the testing longer format.
The Game
Tongala 112 (Alex Williams 37, Rishabh Kothari 3-18, Russell Stockdale 3-29) lost to Moama 3-113 (Matt Saunders 32 not out, Archie Teasdale 30 not out, Anthony McMahon 28, Alex Williams 1-31)
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