Wangaratta Magpies look to be the goods this season after banking a second win in as many weeks in the A grade competition.
Up against Benalla Bushrangers at Barr 2 Oval, the Magpies chased down the target of 147 set by the Bushrangers with little hassle, passing the total in the 32nd over for the loss of just four wickets.
After electing to bat, Benalla’s Brayden Stepien got his side off to a flier, belting 39 from just 24 deliveries, making the most of the lightning-fast outfield.
The big left-hander looked in good tough, but was undone when trying an inventive scoop over fine leg.
Wandering across his stumps, Stepien mistimed the scoop and was hit on the pads, adjudged LBW.
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James Carboon was the anchor of the innings, batting for the entire innings for his 63 from 134 deliveries, but it was a revolving door of partners at the other end.
No other Benalla batter would make more than eight runs, as Tyler Nanson (3/22 off nine overs) and Jarryd Wallace (3/23 off eight) ran riot through the middle order and tail.
Magpies skipper Cooper Matheson said he was happy with his bowlers’ efforts on a quick deck.
“’Steppo’ [Brayden Stepien] got off to a good start for them, but credit to our bowling unit, we bowled a completely opposite way than we did last week,” he said.
“We had more of a structured set-up, especially bowling to Steppo – what we wanted to do to Steppo didn’t work, we tried to stick with it and ended up getting his wicket which was good.
“After that, we just went back to boring two-day lines and made it hard for them to score.
“They kept punching it to our field, and we set up like that because the outfield was that quick, you get it through and it’s four.
“We set a field and bowled to it and it worked really well.”
Once again, the Magpies’ top order shone brightly in the chase, with three scores of at least 30 coming from the top four batters.
After Tyler Nanson departed first ball, Cooper Matheson struck 30 runs in his usual rapid fashion, and forged a 38-run partnership with Jack Davies.
Davies kept the scoreboard ticking over and found the rope with ease, his unbeaten innings of 58* including eight boundaries.
David Killen (30 from 61 balls) and James Thewlis (15 from 15) played their supporting role exceptionally.
“Our top five is very good at the moment, we’ve all made some runs so far,” Matheson said.
“Jimmy made 30-odd the week before and 80 in the praccy match at five, Tyler’s made a 50, I’ve made a 50, Jacko‘s made a 50, and I think Dave [Killen] has made two 30s, so our top five’s very strong at the moment.”
The Magpies head into their bye sitting second on the ladder after a fortnight of competition, behind the similarly undefeated Rovers United Bruck on net run rate.
Elsewhere, City Colts are yet to taste success in season 2025-26, defeated by Yarrawonga Mulwala by 75 runs.
Batting first, the Lakers piled on 10/226, anchored by Devlin Webb’s knock of 65.
The young guns starred for the Colts with Kookaburra in hand, with Jed Marek (2/32), Alasdair Brett (2/42) and Connor Ormond (2/43) all among the wickets.
The chase was tough for the Colts, who were at one stage 4/22, but Alasdair Brett’s composed and patient knock of 51* from 109 deliveries would provide some backbone in the middle order.
Unfortunately, there were not enough partnerships to allow the Colts to put the runs on the board, the innings coming to a close with two deliveries remaining, bowled out for 10/151.
