Sent into bat on their home turf at Gardens Reserves by the side from Myrtleford, the Bushrangers were set for a tough test against last season’s one-day cup winners.
Openers Brayden Stepien and Michael Honman started the game well to have the Bushrangers 0/34 off 8.4 overs before captain Stepien on 16 cut a ball off the bowling off James Neary into the waiting hands of Kane Fitzpatrick.
Paceman Cooper Thomason then struck twice to leave Benalla at 3/39.
Honman, on 11, exited first bowled by Thomason, and then Ross Cavill was caught leg before wicket for two.
Geeth Awis then dismissed Gary Priest and Lucas Ham for five and a duck, leaving Benalla at 5/46.
No Bushranger could pick Awis's bowling and how it would spin off the immaculate Gardens Reserve pitch.
This was clear when he suddenly found himself on a hat-trick after dismissing Matthew Priest and Conor Brodie successively.
With Simon Briggs able to block out the ball and survive a situation all cricketers dread, the hat-trick was not to be.
Awis would soon get Briggs on three to secure an incredible 5/14 off eight overs.
Jonty Priest would fight hard for a gritty 16, but there was too little help from others, and the Bushrangers fell to all-out for 79.
When Ross Cavill and Cooper Binion quickly removed the Tigers openers, leaving them at a nervous 2/27, there were murmurings of a potential miracle upset for the Bushrangers.
In Binion’s case, it was a wicket with his first-ever A-grade ball.
It was to be Awis again, this time with the bat, to sink the Bushrangers’ chance.
An incredible 89 of 71-ball knock, which included 16 fours, saw the Tigers surpass the target quickly with the loss of just three wickets.
With both Tigers and Bushrangers deciding to keep playing despite the result being decided, Ovens Valley would ultimately reach 6/208 off its 40 overs.
Conor Brodie, Ross Cavill, Cooper Binion, Simon Briggs, Brayden Stepien and Mitchell Wheelens took one wicket each in a balanced bowling performance for Benalla.
Stepien said he is confident the performance will not be a sign of things to come for Benalla.
“The result of the game did not reflect the effort that all the players over the pre-season have put in and hopefully is just nerves associated,” Stepien said.
Benalla will look to put in a stronger performance next week when it travels to HP Barr Reserve to take on the City Colts in Wangaratta.
Final score:
Benalla: 10/79
Ovens Valley: 6/208
