Victoria Country has made a hot start to its campaign against the best country talent in the nation, winning its first two games on the back of two half-centuries to the reigning Cricket Shepparton Lightfoot medallist.
Mueller played an instrumental hand in the tournament opener against Western Australia on January 3, blasting 65 runs off 59 deliveries, including a pair of maximums that sailed over the fence at Busselton’s Barnard Park.
Mueller and captain Jake Toohey’s 83 fired Victoria to 7-271 and a tight opening spell from Waaia’s Jesse Trower – paired with three wickets to ex-Cricket Shepparton star Alistair McCann – saw WA bundled out for 189 in the 46th over.
Against NSW a day later, it was more of the same from the Redbacks’ talisman, but Trower’s influence with the ball in the face of a fast-starting Sky Blue batting line-up was equally pivotal.
Having gone for 35 runs off 4.5 overs, the right-arm Bombers paceman recovered well to surrender only five more in his next 19 deliveries, claiming two vital wickets as NSW was bowled out for 248.
In reply, it was trouble for Victoria at 5-92 after 21 overs, but Mueller’s match-saving 60 off 58 deliveries – including seven boundaries – resurrected his state’s innings and helped the Big V pass the required runs in the 49th over.
Victoria now sits second on the ladder, setting up a blockbuster top-of-the-table showdown against Queensland on Monday that could determine the championship favourite.
In the women’s division, Victoria has two wins from its opening three games, beginning with a resounding eight-wicket win over Western Australia.
Nagambie’s Madison Albers picked up a wicket in the tournament opener, while in the second game against Papua New Guinea, Echuca’s Grace Moyle proved the difference on debut with 4-16 as Lakers star Kayla Shepherd (eight not out) saw Victoria over the line in a six-wicket win.
Moyle claimed another wicket against NSW, but the Northern rival dominated with a convincing 80-run victory.
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