Haisman Shield | Josh Sidebottom heroics lifts Northerners to thrilling win over Euroa

But the Jets had other ideas, with Sidebottom’s five wickets the catalyst as Euroa lost a startling 7-11 to fall agonisingly short of its first victory of the Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield season.

A second straight road victory for this young Northerners side, coach Steve Allen said the result would instil a lot of belief into the group as it continued to grow.

“The boys were certainly up and about after the game, to go on the road and win, especially in those circumstances, it is massive for a group, looking back it was a magnificent effort from the guys,” Allen said.

“At the start of the season there were certainly question marks about how our A-grade team would fare, but so far these two wins (against Nagambie and Euroa) have given us great confidence that we can compete.

“The feeling around the group is just fantastic.”

After a two-hour delay due to wet weather, action finally started with the match reduced to a 30-overs-a-side contest.

Wanting to take advantage of the bleak overhead conditions Euroa won the toss and sent Northerners in to bat, with the decision paying immediate dividends as it took three early wickets.

This would bring young gun Declan Newbound to the crease, who, along with skipper Ben Pedretti, went about rebuilding the Jets’ innings.

While the scoreboard read a dire 3-32, the pair went out and played with confidence, with Newbound particularly impressive in his stroke play as it put on a crucial 49-run stand.

Although Pedretti departed for a patient 37, Newbound would not take his foot off the throttle, taking command of the innings to post a blistering unbeaten 64 off 53 balls to see the Jets to a competitive total of 9-151.

“It was an unusual scorecard with only two guys in double figures, but Declan batted particularly well and was very positive from the word go,” Allen said.

“For a guy in his first full season of A-grade cricket to take command of an innings like that, I could not have been more impressed.”

With a defendable total behind them, Northerners began the second innings brightly, taking the early scalp of Magpies skipper Scott Hamilton to be in the box seat.

But this is where the inconsistency of a young side began to haunt the Jets, as they floundered with their line and length to surrender control of the contest.

Led by a classy 61 from number three Sham Dadallage, the Euroa top order made the wayward Northerners bowlers pay, scoring freely to be on the precipice of victory.

Needing 23 with six wickets in the sheds, the Jets handed the ball to Sidebottom and Stuart Turner (3-22), and as they say the rest is history.

“We became very inconsistent with our bowling through the middle portion and it looked Euroa would cruise to victory,” Allen said.

“But I thought Trent Sidebottom’s spell to start with was important in getting control back and then Josh and Stu came into the attack and took advantage with the wickets.

“After we broke the initial partnership we just continued to take wickets, the pressure built on them and in the end they buckled.

“The performance showed the great fight we have in our team, this win meant a lot to our group.”