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Echuca is the Goulburn Murray Cricket under 14 champion after defeating Moama Black in a close match on Thursday and Friday.

Batting first on Thursday at the Moama number two oval, Echuca made 5/157 from its 40 overs, with Moama finishing on 8/145 in reply the following day, seeing the Jim Cosgriff-coached Echuca win by 12 runs.

Echuca captain Mitch Frew was the man of the match after scoring 32 before retiring and also took a wicket and a catch.

‘‘It was a great game,’’ Echuca assistant coach Ash Byrne said.

‘‘For both sides to make over 140 is a great effort.

‘‘It was a good way to finish off.

‘‘Moama was probably the best side over the course of the year, but the boys played well when it counted.’’

After being sent into bat, Echuca’s top-order batsmen set the tone for the team on Thursday.

Openers Frew (32 retired) and Tim Cosgriff (30 retired) did well, while Angus Byrne (30 retired) also impressed.

Matt Hinks (23) became Moama’s first victim when he was run out, but the score had already reached 96 by then.

Tom Creighton (13) added some late runs to the total for Echuca, as 13 Moama players bowled throughout the innings.

Wickets went to Jack Russell (1/13), captain Harry Ripon (1/17) and Angus Mawson (1/9), while Alistair McCann and Nick Phillips also bowled well.

Needing about four runs an over to win on Friday, the Tony Wright-coached Moama started well through McCann (30 retired) and Ripon (13).

Russell (30 retired) was also influential in the team’s reply and, although many batsmen got starts, only Nick Brandrick (16) was able to challenge the Echuca bowlers as the team finished 12 runs short.

Mitch Frew (1/6), Matt Hinks (1/20), Byrne (1/19), Jonte Opie (1/15) and Fraser Baldwin (1/11) took the wickets for Echuca, while Charlie Hinks, Jordan Frew and Ned Lanyon also impressed.

‘‘When we batted, both openers got us off to a really solid start and that run rate was maintained through the course of the innings,’’ Byrne said.

‘‘It was pretty even the way it all panned out.’’

The final was a fitting finale to the season, Byrne said.

‘‘From a cricketing point of view it was a really positive game for the whole association,’’ he said.

‘‘I think everyone should be really proud of the way both teams played in terms of the spirit of the game and the quality of the cricket.

‘‘We were just the lucky ones to have made enough runs to win.’’

Moama junior development officer Jamie Murphy agreed with Byrne’s sentiments.

‘‘It was a really good game played in the right spirit,’’ he said.

‘‘It was disappointing the weather was so bad on Thursday night (due to the wind), but that was the only down side of the game.

‘‘There were great skills on display from both sides.’’

Murphy said Moama did well to restrict Echuca to 157 after looking on track to make 180 and, although it was disappointing to not come away with the win, it had still been an impressive season.

‘‘We had two even sides in each grade and while we were on top the whole year, I think Echuca just had a bit more depth and was able to carry that into finals,’’ he said.