Perennial powerhouse Cobram is on the board for the 2026-27 season, however, accounting for Deniliquin by three wickets in a tense, low-scoring affair at Cobram Showgrounds.
The Tigers, last season’s runner-up, bounced back strongly on Saturday against the Rhinos following a round one defeat to cross-border rivals Barooga, showing plenty of potency with the ball and a cool head with the bat to steer the chase home and register their first points of the campaign.
Winning the toss and electing to bowl first, Cobram struck immediately via recruit Will Trower, leaving Deniliquin down 1-1 inside the first over, and the wickets fell at a steady rate from there.
Jeremy Baden (1-13) joined the party with his first of the afternoon shortly after, reducing the Rhinos to 2-21 with both openers back in the sheds, before Jimmy Daniel (1-16) and Rakibul Hasan Reday (1-15) both got in on the act as well, with the visitors crumbling to 4-39.
A pair of partnerships worth 20-odd in the middle order helped Deniliquin fight to be 6-96, though Shaun Downie (2-27) and Trower cleaned up the tail in quick fashion, Trower claiming the final three wickets to finish with figures of 4-28 as the Rhinos lost 4-25 to be bowled out for 121 in 44 overs, the only resistance coming from Andrew Hogan who remained unbeaten on 41.
With 122 needed for victory, Cobram got off to a solid if unspectacular start, with Downie (15), Mikael Artavilla-Bennett (14) and Bryan Eddy (23) all making handy contributions before departing in that order, leaving the Tigers without their top three but with 56 runs on the board.
Round one centurion Adam De Cicco mustered only 10 before he was dismissed, leaving Cobram at 4-70, before Lachlan Hyde (6) departed without advancing the score, as the Tigers’ chase spluttered to 5-70.
Eamon Hyde and Jimmy Daniel found themselves together in the middle and added a vital 29 runs together, dragging the Tigers to 99 before Daniel (7) was sent packing, though his replacement Chase Hardwidge (2) didn’t last long, with his dismissal leaving the home side floundering at 7-105.
But it would be Eamon Hyde that steered the Tigers to victory with a confident 36 not-out from 51 deliveries, ensuring Cobram claimed victory by three wickets to sit fourth with a 1-1 record after two rounds.
Elsewhere, Barooga’s hot form continued with a brilliant two-wicket win over Nathalia, shooting a game clear at the top of the ladder while leaving the reigning premier at the bottom, the only side to not score points in the opening two rounds.
Winning the toss and electing to bat at Barooga Recreation Reserve, Nathalia’s top five all made starts in a solid innings, with Gus Frostick’s 56 the top score ahead of 38 from Luke Quinn as the visitors posted a competitive 8-181 from 45 overs, with the Hawks fighting back late via Riley Gow (3-32) and Mitchell Richmann (2-41).
Barooga’s chase got off to a slow start in reply, losing both openers Lachlan Raggett (5) and Murphy Stephens (0) cheaply, however scores of 56 to skipper Riyaad Henry and 43 to Ethan Bovalina put the home side back in the game, reaching 5-118 as Henry departed.
There was still work to be done, though, and despite wickets falling around him, Kohen Haddrell delivered a mature 34 not-out off 36 deliveries to see the Hawks home by two wickets with an over to spare in a stunning finale.
In the final game of the round, Katamatite and Tocumwal secured three points each in a tie at Katamatite Recreation Reserve, with Tiger Desmond O’Kane scoring 52 to help Katty post 8-201, before claiming 3-31 with the ball, one of those wickets coming in a clutch final over where he conceded only two runs to secure the tie.
Round three will see Katamatite and Cobram face off at Katamatite Recreation Reserve in a battle of the Tigers, Nathalia will host Deniliquin at Nathalia Recreation Reserve in a bid to claim its first win of the campaign, while Tocumwal and Katunga will square off at Tocumwal Recreation Reserve. Barooga has the bye.
