Anthony Bradley scored important runs for the Rhinos on Saturday and Sunday.
Lachlan Holloway looks to attack the Cobram bowling.
On Saturday the Deni Rhinos played the first of two A-grade matches in the Murray Valley Cricket Association at home against Cobram.
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Both teams undefeated going into the match and on top of the ladder after two matches, the Rhinos were looking for a win against the reigning premiers.
The Rhinos won the toss and decided to bat first.
It was a warm day early on Saturday with Griegan French and Hamish Baker heading out into the heat to open the batting.
The pair looked solid early before a mix up and Baker was run out for 2 leaving the score at 1-15 at the start of the fifth over.
Harry Hillier then joined French at the crease both batters got in, flaying the occasional boundary when the opportunity presented itself.
The two Rhinos batters got the team to 1-46 at the first drinks break after 15 overs.
Hillier was looking ominous, hitting a boundary from the first ball after drinks however he was dismissed the next ball for 24 off 32 balls with three fours and one six, caught by Hugh Hyde off the bowling of Lachlan Hyde.
The Rhinos’ strong middle order joined French in the middle including Charlie Paton in for a few overs but bowled for 3.
Andrew Hogan also formed a partnership with French but he was bowled for 10 in the 28th over.
Boddie Arthur came to the crease looking to build towards the end of the innings.
However the opener French then was bowled in the 32nd over with a gritty 45 off 102 balls with eight fours trying to build a foundation for the Rhinos.
Anthony Bradley then came to the crease.
His first partnership ended three balls later with Arthur run out for 1 going for a quick single leaving the Rhinos at 6-100 after 33 overs.
Following Arthur’s dismissal Lachlan Holloway joined Bradley looking to put together a reasonable total with 12 overs remaining.
The pair worked well together, batting intelligently helping the Rhinos tail wag.
Together they scored 41 runs in 8 overs before Bradley was dismissed caught by Eamon Hyde off the bowling of Jeremy Baden for 29 off 30 balls with four fours.
Despite this the momentum continued in the Rhinos favour as Rory Bartlett and Holloway joined forces scoring 29 runs off just over four overs to get the Rhinos to 7-170.
Holloway finished 19 not out off 31 balls with one six and Bartlett finished with 15 off 16 balls with two fours.
Defending 170, the Rhinos started well in the field with opening bowlers Bartlett and Joice Mathew.
Mathew got the first breakthrough of Bodey Webb for 9 caught well by Hamish Baker in the sixth over.
Bartlett then joined the wicket taking action removing Daniel Ellis for 17 caught and bowled.
Lachlan Holloway and Griegan French then came on to bowl.
Toiling away, Holloway got the breakthrough of Lachlan Hyde for 13 in the 19th over.
French then struck in the next over getting Hugh Hyde out LBW for 2.
In the following over a bad mix up saw Adam DeCicco run out for a diamond duck having not faced a ball.
Holloway struck again two overs later dismissing Eamon Hyde for a six ball duck leaving Cobram .
However from there Cobram batters Shaun Downie and Tyron Baden threatened to chase down the Rhinos total.
At the final drinks break after 30 overs Cobram needed 53 runs off 15 overs with four wickets in hand.
Going into the 33rd over Cobram needed 39 runs off 72 balls.
It was the re-introduction of Joice Mathew that over for his second spell that broke the game open for the Rhinos.
A double wicket maiden for Mathew getting Baden and Anastasio out bowled with searing pace left Cobram 8-131.
He then got the major breakthrough of Downie for 69 from the first ball of his next over.
From there Andrew Hogan finished the job geting Noah Sneddon caught at deep mid on safely caught by Anthony Bradley on the boundary capping off a top of the ladder win for the Deni Rhinos by 28 runs over Cobram.
Joice Mathew after his match winning spell against Cobram on Saturday.
Charlie Paton loses his off stump on Saturday. Photo by Wayne Bradley.
A-grade against Nathalia
On Sunday, the Deni Rhinos A-grade side hosted Nathalia.
With overcast skies and rain around there were concerns play would not get underway.
However after a short delay the skies cleared for the start of play.
Nathalia won the toss and elected to bowl first.
The Nathalia bowlers bowled good lengths early removing the openers Brad Todd for a golden duck and Griegan French for 5.
Harry Hillier and Andrew Hogan provided some resistance getting the Rhinos to around 2-44 at the first drinks break.
However with the departure of Harry Hillier for 22 given out LBW and Hogan caught for 16 the Rhinos were in a bit of trouble at 4-46.
Anthony Bradley got settled at the crease following his efforts from the day before over the next 20 overs but couldn’t find a partner stay with him at the other end with no batting partner scoring more than two runs leaving the Rhinos at 9-84.
For the final wicket Joice Mathew and Bradley put together 12 runs before Bradley was bowled for 36 with six fours while Mathew finished on six not out to leave the Rhinos all out for 92.
Defending a modest total the Rhinos needed a great effort in the field.
The Nathalia openers started well getting the first 25 runs with ease.
The Rhinos then got their first wicket with Luke Quinn caught brilliantly by Stephen Marshall at deep long on to remove for 20 off the bowling of Griegan French.
French and Hogan kept the Nathalia batting attack from scoring many runs with Hogan getting other opener Zander Quinn out LBW for 11 and French getting Gus Frostick out caught behind by keeper Jonty Tubb for 8 leaving Nathalia 3-45.
Nathalia were steady chasing the total with Scotty Morris and Brenton Campbell looking to survive.
Hogan then gave the Rhinos hope getting the wickets of Brenton Campbell for 9 and Joshua Vallender for a golden duck both bowled in consecutive deliveries leaving Nathalia 5-71.
Despite this Scotty Morris on 32 not out with five fours and Jason McKenna with 9 not out and one four helped Nathalia win by 5 wickets with 21 overs to spare.
B-grade
Kynan McKenzie batted well for the Rhinos on Saturday.
In B-grade a young Deni Rhinos side hosted Cobram on Memorial Park east.
Cobram won the toss and elected to field first.
The Rhinos scored 93 in their innings with opener Tom McCallum top scoring with 20 while four players Stephen Marshall, Noah Bradley, Jake Herberte and Kynan McKenzie all scoring 13 runs, while Lachlan Marshall also reached double figures scoring 10 runs.
Zac Germano held his own in his senior debut finishing not out for the innings without scoring.
Defending 93, Cobram were too strong with Manny Artavilla top-scored with 44 not out for Cobram as the visitors chased the total only losing three wickets.
The Rhinos bowlers were competitive gaining valuable experience with Charlie McCallum (1-17), Noah Bradley (1-25) and Jake Herberte (1-27) the wicket taking bowlers.
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