BLU got away from the Goulburn Murray Cricket contest with a win, but the match-up at Bamawm Recreation Reserve would be defined by the efforts of the two sides’ star batsmen.
The Flames elected to bat first, and linchpin Paul Newman continued to prove himself key at the top of the order.
Boasting 609 runs at an average of over 50 in 2023-24, Newman has maintained that form into this campaign, posting his second half-century of the season with 56 from 57 balls.
Newman was at the crease for the first 119 runs of Fire Brigade’s innings, his dismissal leaving the Flames five wickets down.
Kaine Herbert’s (29) cameo had ended not long earlier, and key contributions from Robert Salter (23) and Cohan Hooper (17 not-out) helped the host to an all-out 174 from an almost complete 44.4-over innings.
Simon van Duinen (3-31) was the pick of the bowlers, dismissing three of the Flames' top order, while Josh Cairns (3-19) provided the other bookend to the innings, ripping through the tail with the final three scalps.
The 175 needed for victory looked a challenging but gettable target for the Lions, who were desperate for the points to remain in touch with the mid-table group.
As is often the case for BLU, the innings rose and fell with the efforts of captain Regis Chakabva, and on this occasion the skipper lifted his teammates to a memorable victory.
Opening alongside Joe Moss, Chakabva was on the attack early.
After knocking it around for a couple of overs, the Lions’ captain made his intentions known with a pair of maximums in the fourth, getting his side off to a flying start.
Tom Owen recovered well from being on the receiving end of Chakabva’s ire, making the Flames' first breakthrough when he removed Moss for seven.
Liam Hamilton then joined Chakabva and provided a useful foil to his skipper, accumulating a composed 29 from 52 while Chakabva continued the assault.
The hundred for BLU, and the half-century for Chakabva, came and went as the two put on 98 for the second wicket, putting the Lions’ chase in the ideal position.
The two fell in quick succession, Hamilton via run out and Chakabva two balls later for 85 from 73 deliveries, leaving BLU at 3-125.
Just 50 runs from their target, the Lions’ middle-order did enough to guide their side home, Luke Thompson (23 not-out) the principal contributor as BLU got over the line at 5-178 in 38.1 overs.
No bowler struck more than once for the Flames, Robert Salter (1-15) the most economical of the wicket-takers.
The result crowds the middle of the table in the GMC, with BLU and Fire Brigade now among four sides with a 2-2 record.
BLU faces a trip to Cohuna next weekend while the Flames host Echuca.
In the GMC’s Twenty20 competition, starting on Thursday, Fire Brigade has a round one bye, while BLU will host Nondies-Cohuna.
The Game
Kyabram Fire Brigade 174 (Paul Newman 56, Josh Cairns 3-19, Simon van Duinen 3-31) lost to Bamawm-Lockington United 5-178 (Regis Chakabva 85, Liam Hamilton 29, Robert Salter 1-15)
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