Cricket
12 March, 2026
Brad Alexander named HCA’s best
Brad Alexander’s extraordinary year with the bat and in the field saw him receive the 2025-26 Cec Hopper Medal, given to the best all-around player in the Horsham Cricket Association A grade player.
The West Wimmera opening batsman totalled 992 points for the season, ahead of Zachary Marrow (984 points) and Nathan Alexander (971 points).
Brad Alexander’s stellar season was headlined by three unbeaten centuries, scoring 652 runs at an average of 81.50, which saw him also take out the A grade batting aggregate and average awards.
Alexander also claimed 13 wickets, 16 catches and one stumping during the season, occasionally filling in as a wicket keeper.
The new Cec Hopper medallist was honoured to be given the award, saying he wouldn’t have expected it early in the season after failing to get any runs in his first two innings.
“It feels pretty good, especially after the start to the season was pretty rough,” Alexander said.
“But things turned around and it was a pretty good year after that.”
West Wimmera skipper Nathan Alexander was rewarded for his dominant season with the ball, claiming the A grade bowling average award after taking 27 wickets at anaverage of 7.20.
The two Alexander brothers also took home the Umpire vote count award, each finishing with 20 votes.
Brim KSH’s Lachlan McGinniss claimed the A grade bowling aggregate award with 28 wickets at an average of 10.61.
Drew Carmody of Colts was awarded the Allan McRae medal for B grade champion player, highlighted by a great season with the bat.
Carmody also claimed the B grade batting aggregate award, totalling 455 runs at an average of 37.92, with a top score of 103 not out.
John Heard (Bullants) took out the B grade batting average, scoring 397 runs at 66.17, underlined by an unbeaten 120 against Brim KSH.
Horsham Tigers’ Dale Dridan won the B grade bowling average, taking 22 wickets at 9.32
Rup-Minyip youngster Jake McKenzie claimed the bowling aggregate award for B grade, finishing with 35 wickets at 10.29, which included match figures of 12/28 against West Wimmera.
Bailey Stirling of the Halls Gap Kookaburras claimed the Ivan Morrison Medal for C grade champion player, highlighted by 584 runs with the bat.
The C grade batting average award was won by Lubeck Murtoa’s Drew Gellatly, who scored 222 runs at an average of 111.
Charlie McIntosh (Halls Gap) took out the C grade batting aggregate award with 611 runs, which included six half-centuries.
Laharum’s Connor Cowan claimed the C grade bowling average award, taking 20 wickets at 9.50
Kookaburra Caleb Bretherton was awarded the C grade bowling aggregate after claiming 24 wickets at 12.38, including a 5/10 performance against Laharum.
Blackheath Dimboola’s Albert Schorback was named the under-16s champion player with 419 points.
Schorback totalled 239 runs with the bat, six wickets and six catches across the season.
Fresh off a player of the match performance in the grand final, Hugh Weidemann took out the under-16s batting average award, after scoring 232 runs at 77.33
Horsham Tigers’ Joel Plazzer won the batting aggregate award with 284 runs at an average of 40.57.
The Bullants’ Oscar Combe took out the bowling average award, finishing the season with seven wickets at 6.50.
Blackheath Dimboola’s Lenny Clark won the bowling aggregate award with nine wickets at 15.67.
Zack Pickering (Bullants), Charlie Taylor (Blackheath Dimboola) and Henry Walsgott (Homers) shared the fielding award after each took eight catches.
Edward Schorback (Blackheath Dimboola) won the under-14s champion player award after amassing 481 points.
The Bulls players also took out the batting aggregate award, with 231 runs at 77, while also totalling 12 wickets.
Arkie Mackley (Tigers) won the batting average award, dismissed just once in the season, as he finished with 211 runs.
The Renegades’ Judd Thomson had a stellar season with the ball to take out both the bowling aggregate and average awards, finishing with 13 wickets at 4.15.
The fielding award was shared by Jazz Hopper (Bullants) and Clayton Hiscock (West Wimmera), with both claiming 10 catches.
Bullants A grade captain Tony Caccaviello received the Ellie Flack Memorial Award for his service to cricket, playing a key role in the junior cricket space.