After its high-flying start to life in Goulburn Murray Cricket, the Nagambie women wanted to bounce back at Nagambie Recreation Reserve on Sunday.
Hopes of a win were dashed as the Lakers found runs hard to come by, wickets fell regularly and the Echuca batters were locked in.
A 10-wicket victory for the visitors was a reminder that Nagambie is still the new kid on the block.
Echuca Green won the toss and sent the Lakers in to bat.
The opening pair of Amber Langham and Shae Merrifield put on an impressive defensive performance as the visitors launched a scathing attack with the ball in hand.
The quality of the bowling was such that the partnership had only profited three runs five overs into the match.
After a 21-ball stint and one run to her name, Langham was caught by Pauline Sleeman, and Sophie Good’s bowling proved the breakthrough.
Echuca’s consistency with the ball continued.
Sandy Ezard scored 12 runs off 23 balls, a stint that would end up being Nagambie’s high score that Daniell Garden bowled her.
In at second drop was Kait Carracher.
For the first time this season, Carracher was dismissed before posting a decisive score.
The captain scored one run before Emma Moyle bowled the ball that had her caught.
Kelsey Abbott came in swinging and, for a brief moment, looked like she was going to step up and take on the Carracher role.
A boundary early on in her stint looked like a warning shot, but really, it was a last stand.
The batter departed with a strike rate of 100 with five runs off five balls.
The later-order batters were unable to add game-defining runs, and after 22.3 overs, Nagambie was all out for 55.
Opener Shae Merrifield was still at the crease when the final wicket fell.
She frustrated the Echuca bowlers with nine runs off 44 balls in what must be one of the league’s best defensive performances against a fierce bowling attack.
Although 55 has proven to be a defendable score this season, that was not going to be the case against Echuca Green.
Captain Gillian Noelker and Amy Cooper were unbeatable openers.
Noelker hit 27 runs off 35 balls, and Copper hit 23 runs off 30 balls to claim the game after 10.2 overs.
The Lakers will be looking to get back to winning ways next week as they take on Kyabram on home turf on Sunday.
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