Gallery | Mooroopna’s Goulburn Murray women’s rampage continues

What a day to do it on with that scorching sun, right?

Nobody made better use of the extra space to roam than Mooroopna, which welcomed the always-threatening Echuca to town in a grand final rematch heading into the 2024 holiday break.

It wasn’t necessarily the Cats’ choice, mind you, with the visitor opting to bowl first, but they set the tone strongly with players allowed 40 balls before retiring, as opposed to the standard 30.

Openers Lauren Hall and Maggie Egglestone made full use of the leniency, going the distance as a pair and putting the green machine in an early hole with 59 between them.

Gillian Noelker would eventually have the answers to curtail both replacements and work into Mooroopna’s middle order a little quicker, removing Ebony Sleeth and Gemma Boyd.

However, Amani Issell had other plans, supercharging a run rate that was in danger of plateauing with a fierce knock of 40 featuring six fours.

Freshly energised, Mooroopna at one point looked like a double ton could be on the cards — but Echuca is Echuca and nothing was going to come that easily.

The Cats fell victim to a stunning hat-trick in the second last over of a nonetheless imposing innings, keeping afloat to set the reigning premier 177 for victory.

Noelker and Maisy Byrne presented ample challenge as Echuca’s opening pair, but Charlie Nicholson provided the breakthrough moment in removing the former for 10.

Much as fill-in Danielle Garden had stolen the show with a hat-trick earlier on, so too would a replacement player shine on offence courtesy of a two-part stint, finishing unbeaten on 35.

Single-figure tallies littered the scorecard down the stretch, though, as Gemma Boyd’s four wickets proved destructive in an emphatic 60-run win.

Mooroopna coach Jeff Vandermeer was obviously pleased with a thumping result over quality opposition, but remains wary of what’s to come.

“Playing 35 overs, we didn’t know what a good score would be; we figured 160-190 would be competitive,” Vandermeer said.

“We had a good start to the innings, we stalled a little through the middle, but got things going towards the end up around five an over.

“(Echuca) bat pretty deep, but I think the wicket of Maisy really helped us as she can score really easily.

“It’s good to be undefeated, but as we know from last year, you have to win the one that counts.”

Nagambie remains the Cats’ main threat to the league’s summit and, as another serious form outfit, Vandermeer knows the only way is forward.

“Obviously, getting a couple of girls like (Jessica) Cox helped us out, but they did have a couple missing,” Vandermeer said.

“Nagambie’s a really strong side and you don’t want to get complacent because these teams can come and hunt you down.”

The Lakers had the hunt taken off their plate in Sunday’s slate, though, with Kyabram forfeiting its scheduled clash.

With Nagambie handed the bye for the first round in January, the next opportunity for Kait Carracher’s charges to play is the intra-league set for January 17 at Echuca’s Victoria Park.

Shepparton Youth Club United was another to stretch the legs in 35-over play, taking Katamatite to task as Sophie Ullah and Mel Saunders went north of 40 in an outstanding 97-run victory to go third.

Moama was another to overtake Echuca with a commanding rout of Cooma, requiring less than six overs to eclipse the home side’s tally of 30.

Finally, Abby Favaro produced on both ends with 2-15 and a team-high 19 with the bat as Nathalia overcame winless Bamawm-Lockington United by two wickets.