Clinical Karramomus run chase fuelled by in-form McGrath and Bloods ‘X-factor’

With both clubs honouring the late Rod Kilmartin, a stalwart of both clubs, McGrath backed up his undefeated 120 runs last start with 99 not out against Tatura at Howley Oval in round two.

Karramomus mowed down Tatura’s 175 with eight wickets and six overs to spare, and the “heart and soul” of the Bloods was front and centre.

“He’s the heart and soul - everyone loves him,” Karramomus coach Nathan Jones said.

“We love the way he goes about it; there’s no fuss, no panic, just walks to the crease and gets the job done.

“He hits the ball hard, pierces the gaps and sums up the situation so well.”

Karra’s near flawless run chase saw the loss of Zavier Davidson early, but Declan Newbound’s arrival to the crease signalled the beginning of a 150-run partnership and a half-century from the Bloods’ X-factor that ultimately wrenched the game from Tatura’s grasp.

It was Newbound of both varieties who also turned the game on its head with the ball.

Tatura’s batting innings was littered with starts, but Zane Newbound’s dismissal of openers Matt West and Josh Catalano prevented them from capitalising.

Tatura recruit Krrish Patel joined Dan Coombs at the crease for a stabilising 37-run partnership until Zac Groombridge sent Patel back to the sheds for 22, though the experience of Coombs and new batter Blake Armstrong saw a steady build to 3-109.

Enter Declan Newbound.

The left-arm seamer snapped the partnership in the 25th over, enticing the edge from Coombs (32 runs) and sneaking through Jayden Armstrong’s defences in consecutive deliveries.

Dylan Hardy again applied himself with the ball a week after claiming a surprise six-wicket haul, nabbing another two and importantly ending the dangerous Blake Armstrong’s 62-ball vigil.

Jess Petherick (18) and Jack Mahoney (21 not out) propped up the back end of the innings to see Tatura finish on 9-175 after their 45 overs, and with the Bloods 1-6 early doors, the home side would have fancied themselves to keep the foot down.

McGrath and Newbound’s mammoth partnership put paid to that notion, and despite wickets for Jayden Armstrong and Harry Singh, the Bloods got home by eight wickets in the 39th over, much to the pleasure of their coach.

“To chase down 176, still have a few overs to spare, and to lose just two wickets in the chase has shown a lot of improvement from our batting side,” Jones said.

“Declan just broke the game open for us with a few good wickets; he got Coombsy (Dan Coombs) and then Jayden Armstrong first ball - they were massive wickets for us.

“He’s got real X-factor about him Declan - he just comes in and lets them go.

“For a part-time spinner (Dylan Hardy) is doing alright for us.”

Karramomus moves to 2-0 and second on the ladder ahead of a crunch game against Central Park-St Brendan’s, while Tatura will be hoping to nab their first win in a tough assignment against in-form reigning premier Kyabram.

But when all was said and done, both sides came together post-game to remember a shared mainstay of local cricket – the man they called ‘Killa’.