Echuca, Swans in the box seat in two-day games

After a 15-over blitz before stumps last week, Echuca has the upper hand in the top-four clash against Cooma after making 205 following Kobyn James century, snaring four late wickets to leave a big job for batters Matt Darvill and Ben Napier, who will need another 177 runs for victory at Victoria Park.

Despite a remarkable opening stanza at Windridge Oval, where 22 wickets fell on day one of the clash between Rochester and Kyabram Fire Brigade, plenty remains to play out.

The Flames will seek an outright victory after dismissing Rochy for 77 in pursuit of their first-innings total of 139.

But they were dealt an early double blow before stumps last week as Adam Ward claimed his seventh wicket of the game to remove Jack Donnell, while Myles Wade snared another to see the Flames resume on 2-24 on Saturday.

Tongala is another facing a big battle, with the Blues attempting to chase down Echuca South’s 242 runs.

Stephen Townsend and Jayden Tucker dug in for nine overs last week after the early loss of Rory Knight and will resume at 1-2. Shaun Haffenden is the sole wicket-taker for the Swans.

Regis Chakabva’s 172-run spectacle has Bamawm-Lockington United well placed after posting 330, but a declaration failed to yield any reward for the Lions against Leitchville-Gunbower.

Josh O’Shea and Billy Hawken will resume after a watchful 16-over stint before stumps on day one, with L-G still hunting for its first win.

Runs, wickets flow in fast start to the season

After four-and-a-half rounds of cricket, the numbers show it’s been a season for the batters.

Moama’s Anthony McMahon was first past the 300-run mark after his 92 last week, already on the path to eclipsing his career-best A-grade return of 538 in 2019-2020.

BLU’s Regis Chakabva isn’t far behind after his first century in Goulburn Murray Cricket, taking him to 298. At the same time, a consistent Asantha Singappuli has whacked 248 while also grabbing six wickets for Echuca South.

Century-makers Kobyn James (Echuca) and Sean Williams (Rochester) round out the top five bats of the McMahon Shield.

With the ball, nine wickets in two rounds has rocketed Kyabram Fire Brigade’s Jack Donnell to the top of the wicket-taking, leading the way with 12.

Seven of Adam Ward’s 11 scalps came in just one day, while young paceman Xavier Wishart shares joint-second spot on the leaderboard.

Amila Gunathilaka has 10 for the Swans, 6-14 his best figures so far, while Michael Hill places in the top 10 for both runs and wickets with 172 and nine, respectively.