Seymour’s under-17s’ campaign got off to a rough start, with its Monday matches against Goulburn Murray Cricket abandoned due to weather concerns.
The players were able to get some cricket under their belt starting Tuesday but fell 12 runs short of Cricket Shepparton in their first game at L.B Davern Reserve.
Shepparton batted first, with Seymour dismissing the side for 111.
Alexandra’s Jordan Ferrier starred in attack, picking up 3-4, while Kilmore’s Corey Dennehy and Broadford’s Cody Ball each took two wickets.
Dennehy continued his form - this time with the bat - as he went on to make 27, while Eastern Hill’s Regan Gardner was handy with 19.
In the end, Seymour lacked the run rate to topple Shepparton, finishing with 6-99 after 20 overs.
In another tight contest, Seymour suffered an even slimmer four-run loss to Shepparton in their second game of the day.
Dismissing Shepparton for 95, Alexandra’s Jacob Bourke shined with figures of 3-15, while Dennehy and Gardner also contributed with two wickets apiece.
Run rate was again the killer for Seymour, as it ran out of deliveries to finish the chase. Gardner was the best with the bat, unbeaten on 23.
Wednesday saw Seymour take on a strong Bendigo District Cricket Association outfit, with the local side losing both its matches by 65 runs and eight wickets respectively.
After Bendigo reached 3-157 from 20 overs in game one, Seymour openers Bourke (23) and Broadford’s Cooper Mason (26) proved solid, while Seymour’s Nic Quigg (19) was also handy.
But with little support in the chase, Seymour finished the innings trailing on 7-92.
Bourke (29) and Quigg (19) also top-scored for Seymour in game two, however the side ultimately fell for 94.
Bendigo easily completed the chase with eight wickets and four overs in hand, before going on to beat Shepparton in the grand final on Thursday.
● In the under-15s’ day one defeat at the hands of Murray Valley Cricket Association, Broadford duo Daniel Meek (22) and Riley Nolan (25) added runs on the board as Seymour made its way to 111.
But despite Eastern Hill’s Ollie Munro and Tallarook’s Xavier Arandt taking two wickets apiece, Murray reached Seymour’s total with four overs remaining and a wicket in hand.
Day two proved a tough outing for Seymour, as Upper Loddon Cricket Association posted an incredible 3-317.
Skipper Harry McKinley was unbeaten on 129, while Matt Rowe and Will Perryman both made half-centuries.
Seymour failed to get close to Upper Loddon, dismissed for 88.
In its final match of the tournament, Seymour was defeated by Bendigo, who chased down its total of 91 in 21 overs.
Nolan was again handy with the bat, Munro picked up 2-5, while Alexandra’s Leo Halfrod Molinaro was super in the field with two catches.
● The under-13s recorded the best results out of all Seymour teams, finishing with a record of 1-2.
Taking on Cricket Shepparton 1 in a T20 match on Monday, Seymour was beaten by 36 runs.
Kilmore’s Zac Osmond was strong in attack, taking 2-7, while Eastern Hill’s Charlie Dorria took two catches in the field.
Taking on Cricket Shepparton 2 on Tuesday in a one-day contest, Seymour again fell 60 runs short of its association neighbour.
Kilmore’s Darcy McNicholas (23) was the side’s best with the pine, while Broadford’s Josh Nolan snared two wickets.
But in a huge reward for effort, Seymour broke through to claim a four-wicket win in its final match against Bendigo at Kings Park on Wednesday.
Nolan was the star, picking up two wickets in Bendigo’s innings, before top-scoring with an unbeaten 36 to seal the match for Seymour.
