Numurkah Leader
Blues juniors into grand final
3 min read

NUMURKAH’S under 16s and under 14s have both reached Cricket Shepparton’s junior grand finals with terrific wins over Mooroopna and Notre Dame/St Brendans Gold respectively on Sunday.

The under 16s were playing at home against Mooroopna in their semi final clash and won the toss and batted first.

Callum Morris and Dusty Ebborn opened the batting and put on an opening partnership of 36 before Morris was out for nine.

Bailey Smith joined Ebborn at the crease, and together they tore apart the opposing bowlers, compiling a magnificent partnership of 66 runs before Ebborn was dismissed for 57.

Three quick wickets saw the home side slip to 5/127 and, after the retirement of Smith, Kade O’Dwyer and Connor Sessions settled the home side to take the score to 167 before Sessions was out for 10.

O’Dwyer continued to bat, although wickets were falling around him, and Bailey Smith returned to the crease to bat out the final overs.

Smith was finally last man out for a superb 67 and O’Dwyer remained 20 not out, in an overall score of 192.

In reply, the Blues struck early, with Bailey Smith snaring the first wicket with the score on one.

Some good tight bowling saw Smith strike again, followed by quick wickets to Hunter Verhoeven and Dylan Baker, which saw the opposition crash to 6/21.

Mooroopna steadied and doubled its score before another wicket fell, however at 7/42 it was always going to be an uphill battle and they were finally bowled out for 70.

Wicket takers for the Blues were Hunter Verhoeven 3/10, Bailey Smith 2/4, Connor Sessions 2/5, Bailey Roberts 1/3, Jamieson Moore 1/6 and Dylan Baker 1/6.

Numurkah now meets Pine Lodge in the grand final this Sunday, March 1, at Vibert Reserve.

UNDER 14

The under 14s, playing Notre Dame/St Brendans Gold at home in their semi final clash, won the toss and batted first and were off to a poor start, with Reeve Verhoeven out for a duck.

Mitchell O’Dwyer (12) joined Nick Hughes at the crease and together took the score to 24 before both were dismissed, and then another two wickets saw Numurkah fall to 5/52.

Riley Dawson and Matt Ward steadied the ship and, with their knocks of 41 and 37 not out respectively, took the Blues to a competitive score of 135 all out.

Numurkah started slowly in the field and the opposition reached 17 before Harry McDonald struck with successive balls, to have Notre Dame 2/17.

Mitchell O’Dwyer then came into the attack with instant success, claiming two wickets, followed up by a great run out from Riley Dawson, which saw Notre Dame/St Brendans in trouble at 5/32.

Numurkah started to bowl a little wayward, allowing the opposition to get on a roll, and they took full advantage, putting on 46 for the sixth wicket before Tyler Stephens made the breakthrough.

Two quick wickets to Reeve Verhoeven saw the batting side in big trouble at 8/86, however they stuck at it and continued to bat taking the score to 118 before O’Dwyer claimed the ninth wicket.

A fantastic run out by Matt Ward sealed the win for the young Blues, the opposition all out for 118.

Best of the bowlers were Mitchell O’Dwyer 3/9, Harry McDonald 2/9, Reeve Verhoeven 2/15 and Tyler Stephens 1/4.

Numurkah plays Shepparton United in their grand final to be held at Vibert Reserve this Sunday, March 1, commencing at 9am.