Cooma was matched up against Nathalia and performed well, despite playing two players short on the day.
Batting first at Nathalia Showgrounds, Cooma found itself in an early hole, losing four wickets for 25.
Sophie McDonald was the standout performer of the innings, getting Cooma back on track with 30 from her 40 balls before she retired not out.
With the help of Emma Napier, McDonald progressed the total to 50, before linking up with Evie Harman (14 not out) to add a further 36 runs.
McDonald wasn’t off the field long after her retirement, as two quick wickets to Jessica Daniel put Cooma seven down, returning McDonald to the crease for her shorthanded side.
She quickly got back into her work, finding the rope twice in the 26th over, but a lapse of judgment saw her run out for 39, and Cooma’s innings ended on an even 100.
Daniel (2-4) joined Abby Favaro (2-12) and Kloe O’Keefe (2-13) as the multiple wicket-takers for Nathalia.
Jessica Eadie got Nathalia’s chase off to a strong start, retiring not out on 19 after hitting her 40-ball limit.
Cooma did have some success with the ball, Cathy Dervish picking up 2-14 and McDonald and Ruby Harman also making breakthroughs.
However, a couple of solid knocks, including 16 unbeaten from Cody Power, and a rising extras count got the better of Cooma, as Nathalia inched over the line in the 32nd over, four wickets down.
Being two short in the field can’t have helped Cooma’s efforts to defend its total, and a full complement may have been able to hold off Nathalia for the three-plus additional overs required for victory.
Although it has improved from just one win in 2023-24 to four this campaign, Cooma won’t feature in the finals, which begin in two weeks’ time.
Its final match of the season will be this Sunday, as Cooma hosts Katamatite at Cooma Recreation Reserve.
Kyabram, which wasn’t able to field a side against Echuca at the weekend, will meet Shepparton Youth Club United and has the opportunity to play spoiler in SYCU’s finals push.
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