ARNOLD’S defence of its Upper Loddon Valley Cricket Association premiership has got off to a shaky start.
The Redbacks crawled to 104 all out after 50.4 overs at their home ground on Saturday, with Kingower captain and opening bowler Jayden Leach tearing through the ranks to take 7-26.
Kingower managed to knock off 33 runs for the loss of one wicket in its chase.
The two-day match, which will be completed next Saturday, was a standalone opener to the 2024-25 season.
The Bridgewater Bulls have returned to the competition this season, adding a fifth team to the league.
Arnold got off to the worst possible start with captain Henry McCullough dismissed for a duck from just the third ball of the innings. Fellow opener Ryan Metelmann fell in the fourth over to Matthew Rowe, and when New Zealand import Ryan Balsley was bowled by Leach from the first ball of the fifth over, the Redbacks had slumped to 3-8.
Michael Dale and Tim Wright steadied the ship somewhat, taking Arnold to 30 before Dale also fell victim to Leach.
Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, with the score slumping to 7-60 before Campbell Hancock, who top-scored for the Redbacks with 35 off 113 balls, and Ben Metelmann cobbled together a 37-run partnership.
It was extremely slow progress, with the pair taking 19 overs to compile their stand, but critical as Arnold closed in on three figures on a day when weather caused frequent rain interruptions.
The end, when it came, was swift.
Hancock was dismissed by Kyle Simpson, then Leach took his final two wickets in six balls, leaving Ben Metelmann stranded on 13 after facing 69 balls.
Leach’s stellar performance highlighted a solid bowling effort from Kingower, with Rowe, Simpson and William Deason all contributing one wicket.
Deason and Rowe opened for the visitors when their turn came to bat, and they began steadily, reaching 26 before Rowe fell to Hancock, who was proving to be Arnold’s all-round star.
Leach joined Deason and they took the score to 33 without further loss, Deason ending the day undefeated on 20.
He took a particular liking to Balsley’s bowling, hitting three fours from the first six balls he faced from the first-gamer.
With the contest slipping away from them, the Redbacks will need quick wickets when the game resumes if they are to get their season off to a winning start. 
Arnold v Kingower
Arnold
H. McCullough c D. Rose b J. Leach      0
R. Metelmann c T. Murphy b M. Rowe     2
M. Dale b J. Leach     14
R. Balsley b J. Leach       1
T. Wright stp D. Rose b W. Deason    17
C. Hancock c T. Murphy b: K. Simpson     35
A. Davies b J. Leach     5
I. McLean lbw J. Leach    1
B. Metelmann not out     13
A. Taylor c B. Rose b J. Leach     1
H. Lakey lbw J. Leach     1
Extras     14
Total     104
Bowling: J. Leach 16-9-26-7, M. Rowe 13-2-27-1, K. Simpson 11-2-18-1, W. Deason 9-3-21-1, M. Lonza 1-0-2-0.
Kingower
M. Rowe c T. Wright b C. Hancock      5
W. Deason not out      20
J. Leach not out      5
Extras      3
Total      3/33
Bowling: R. Metelmann 2-1-2-0, H. McCullough 3-2-2-0, R. Balsley 3-0-19-0. C. Hancock 2-0-7-1.