A MIGHTY innings from Boort Yando opener Joshua Smith highlighted the first round of the Upper Loddon Cricket Association senior season.
The planned two-day clash between the Magpies and Arnold Redbacks was switched to a T20 game on Saturday to accommodate this Saturday’s Boort Show.
With Boort Yando batting first, Smith put on a solo spectacular, hitting 94 not out in his side’s total of 4-148.
His knock included nine fours and six sixes, and came from only 59 balls.
Smith’s innings dominated the match, with Arnold making 6-109 from its 20 overs in a fruitless run chase.
Smith and fellow opener Jarrod Hodoras put on a brisk 36 for the first wicket before a mini collapse.
Hodoras fell for 11 and newly installed captain James Byrne was clean bowled for a golden duck to make the score 2-37.
Smith was still making hay at the other end but at 3-52 when Matt Hodoras was dismissed, Boort Yando was under some pressure.
Alex Cockerell (25 off 24 balls) then put on 55 runs with Smith, before young star Cooper Gooding joined Smith in an unbroken 41-run partnership.
Of that, Gooding made just three runs from three balls, with Smith clubbing the ball to all parts of the Boort Secondary School oval.
Eighteen runs off the 19th over meant he needed 13 off the last over for a rare T20 century, but despite Gooding nudging a single off the first ball to put Smith on strike, he could only manage seven runs.
The Redbacks were always going to struggle to match Boort Yando’s total.
However, they had a a decent start with skipper Harry McCullough and Michael Dale putting on 30 for the first wicket.
However, McCullough’s dismissal for 35 off 21 balls (including three sixes) began a middle-order slump, with Arnold losing 3-2 and giving the team little chance of reeling in the Magpies’ score. Brian Hill did his best, belting three sixes in his 20 off just eight deliveries, but the task was too hard.
Matt Hodoras took 3-24 from his four overs, and Daniel Lehman, who sparked the Arnold collapse, finished with 2-20. 
For Arnold, Michael Dale’s 1-8 from four tight overs was by far the team’s best return with the ball.
The teams’ round 12 match now will be played as a two-day contest on Saturday and Sunday, January 10 and 11.