Mount Beauty missed the chance to climb into the all-important top six after a six-wicket loss to Barnawartha-Chiltern at home last Saturday.

In what was a delayed start after surface water sat on the outfield due to overnight and morning rain, the Power elected to bat first but got off to the worst start imaginable.

Skipper and dangerous hitter Greg McLennan fell on the first ball of the match after hitting a low full toss into waiting hands.

Frank Iaria (46 off 60 balls) and Will Betheras (36 off 89) recovered well after the early loss to combine for a second wicket partnership of 69 runs, with Todd Jeanes scoring 31 off 39 balls to keep the scoreboard rolling in the middle phase of the innings.

The Power could not lift the run rate in the final ten overs as planned and could only muster 153 from their forty overs.

Mount Beauty’s bowling innings started with more success as Shannon Carter (2/31) struck within the first eight-over powerplay, while Ethan Brown bowled without luck in his tight spell of eight overs, conceding only 19 runs.

Wickets were few and far between from this point, as Barnawartha-Chiltern developed some meaningful partnerships and Mount Beauty used eight bowlers in search of breakthroughs, yet the Miners surpassed the target score with 26 balls to spare with the loss of only four wickets.

McLennan suggested that their total was less than they were hoping for after a positive start.

“We had a delayed start as the bowlers run ups were under water with the rain we had overnight but the pitch was in good condition so I was happy to bat when we won the toss,” he said.

“Frank [Iaria] had another good innings at the top of the order with the usual flurry of cut shots.

“Will [Betheras] held up the other end and at drinks we were looking like we might post a score north of 180, but Barny were bowling and fielding well and we lost some momentum after drinks, ending up on 153.

“Obviously, we needed things to go our way with the ball and I thought our bowling was quite good overall, but we needed to bowl them out to win as our total was not enough to just defend.

“We have another home game against Eskdale next week and we knocked them off last time so hopefully we’ll be able to repeat the dose.”

On Sunday, inclement weather has forced Mount Beauty’s short-form match against Hume side Holbrook in the Cricket Albury Wodonga T20 competition to be abandoned after 5.1 overs.