Indifferent start to Country Week for SDCA

Winning the toss and batting first at Numurkah Showgrounds, SDCA got off to the perfect start with opener Zane Ryan leading the way from the top of the order with an unbeaten 53 off 45 balls.

Ryan was well supported through the middle order by captain Darcy McNicholas (52 retired not out) and late innings power hitter Lachlan Peggie (32 off 30 balls) as they ended their 40 overs with a daunting total of 190.

With plenty of scoreboard pressure fixed on the Cricket Shepparton batters, SDCA took advantage in the early stages as the entire bowling attack looked threatening and claimed wickets at regular intervals to have the game well in control at 5-66.

Looking to make a statement to the remainder of the competition, Seymour kept its foot down and didn’t give the tail an inch, with a flurry of late wickets seeing Shepparton bowled out for a measly 89 and Seymour coming away with a dominant opening day victory.

This success unfortunately could not be replicated by the Under-17s, who were simply outclassed in a seven-wicket loss to Sunraysia Cricket Association.

Batting first at Weeroona Oval, Seymour was put under immediate pressure as a great opening spell from Surendra Prajapat saw Seymour lose three quick wickets — exposing the middle order to the shine of a new ball.

In desperate need of some sort of momentum, Leo Halford Molinaro offered up some resistance, keeping the Sunraysia bowlers at bay and compiling a patient 21 off 50 balls to give his team some hope.

He was then supported by lower order cameos from Stuart Partridge (19) and Kyle McNicholas (14), as Seymour made its way to triple figures and set a total its bowlers could at least have some hope of defending.

Tasked with a tricky small chase, Sunraysia handled itself with class from the very first ball, as it looked to take the sting out of the contest with aggressive batting.

Kurtis Fitzpatrick (37) and Jackson Malycha (28) would do the bulk of the scoring throughout the chase, and Seymour could only watch on as its measly total was chased down in just 20.1 overs with seven wickets still in the sheds.

It was an opening day to forget for the Under-15 side, with an extraordinary batting collapse seeing it fall by 92 runs to Murray Valley Cricket Association.

The SDCA would have been happy with its bowling efforts in the first innings, as Xavier Arandt (2-16) inspired an excellent team performance that restricted Murray Valley to just 135 from its 45 overs.

What happened next however was a complete catastrophe, as the Murray bowlers feasted on the Seymour batters.

Jack Kennedy’s 10 made up nearly a quarter of the team’s runs, as it was dismissed for just 43 inside 25 overs.

SDCA will continue its Junior Country Week campaign throughout this week, with grand finals set to be played on Thursday.