In a supreme performance with first ball and then bat, Nagambie completed a devastating rout of the Redbacks in fine fashion at Kyabram Recreation Reserve, clinching a nine-wicket win to move two points clear on top of the ladder.
Having been asked to bowl after losing the toss, the Lakers immediately heaped the pressure on the home side, with Breanna Davison delivering a maiden in her opening over, and the unrelenting harassment worked wonders, with Davison breaking through to dismiss Kyabram opener Sarah Chaston in the fifth over.
With the Redbacks at 1-6, Sharay Slivarich was tossed the ball, and within six deliveries further reduced Kyabram to 2-11, as the Lakers began to dominate proceedings.
Kyabram rallied, however, making its way to 27 without any further loss until Slivarich struck again, claiming the scalp of Emma Roberts to kickstart a wave of wickets.
Just three balls after Slivarich pounced, the Lakers produced some brilliance in the field to snare a run out and sink Kyabram to 4-32, before Shelley Houston made it 5-32 moments later with the wicket of Morgan Parsons.
Houston earned a second wicket three overs later as Kyabram slumped to 6-42, which soon became 7-48 as Madison Albers joined the fun and claimed her first wicket of the afternoon, at which point Kayla Shepherd took the ball and decided enough was enough.
In her final 10 deliveries, Shepherd claimed three wickets while allowing a single run, bringing Kyabram’s innings to a close with the Redbacks posting 10-51 from 19.4 overs.
A monumental effort with the ball saw Shepherd (3-3), Houston (2-7) and Slivarich (2-19) all claim multiple wickets, and while the bowling was impressive, it paled in comparison to the Lakers’ efforts with the bat.
It took just 5.4 overs for Nagambie to reach the 52 required for victory, with Shepherd leading the charge at the top of the order with an attacking 27 off 15 balls, including five boundaries, to retire unbeaten.
Davison did the rest, finishing not out on 17 from 13 deliveries, with the only casualty being Sarah Villinger, who was caught off the bowling of Lacy Parsons for two.
The win ensures the Lakers remain on top with two wins and the split points from a washout in round two, while also leaving them as the only undefeated side after Mooroopna scored an eight-wicket win against Shepparton Youth Club United to hand the Princess Park inhabitants their first loss.
Nagambie will travel to Mooroopna this weekend to take on the Cats in a top-of-the-table clash, having beaten them by four runs in round one.
