Cricket
26 January, 2026
Charity game hits it out of the park
Hundreds of fans flocked to Horsham City Oval on Sunday, January 25, for the Horsham Cricket Association All Stars fixture to help raise money for bushfire recovery. $20975 was raised in total from both sponsors and attendees.
Organised by the HCA and supported by several sponsors, the North All Stars and South All Stars played a T20 game, with the South team emerging with an eight-wicket victory.
As well as numerous sponsors making donations, including $10000 from the City of Horsham Lions Club, and over $1000 from Wimmera Mallee News, fans helped raise money through food purchases and donations to support those affected by the Grass Flat fire on January 9, which has continued to impact nearby towns.
HCA president Justtin Combe was ecstatic with how the All-Star match played out.
“I’m super happy with how the day went and very impressed with everyone involved,” Combe said.
“The turnout of how many people were there, to the game itself, I couldn’t have asked for a better day.
“The weather was spot on, and we received plenty of donations.”
To the game itself, North All Stars skipper Nathan Alexander won the toss and elected to bat.
The top order all made starts, including 21 from Mitchell Dahlenburg and 19 from Brad Alexander, but the Colts’ trio of Jay Couch, Joey Nagorcka and Josh Colbert each took a wicket, before Chaminda Gamage took wickets on consecutive deliveries to have North in trouble at 5/63.
Despite continuing to get runs on the board, the North All Stars kept losing wickets to be 8/98 in the 16th over.
Nathan Alexander and Lachlan McGinniss looked to get some much-needed runs late in the innings before one of the moments of the match occurred.
Swift-Great Western skipper Aiden Graveson sprinted 15 metres to his left at mid-off to take a one-handed screamer, dismissing Alexander off the bowling of Tony Caccaviello.
The North All Stars were dismissed shortly after for 115 in the 19th over.
Chaminda Gamage led the South All Stars’ bowling figures with 3 wickets for 21 runs from his allotted overs.
Jay Couch took 2 wickets for 12 runs, Josh Colbert claimed 2 wickets for 19 runs, and Tony Caccaviello took 2 wickets for 24 runs, all for the South side.
With the North All Stars unable to hit a six in their innings, South opener Daniel Griffiths managed to smash the first six of the game in the second over of his team’s innings.
Two overs later, Griffiths hit a six down the ground into the grandstand, with spectator Astrin Morrison taking a one-handed catch to help add to the donation tally.
Griffiths eventually finished with four sixes before being dismissed by Tyler Puls for 42.
Having reached 2/51 at the end of the sixth over, North were able to restrict South to just 18 runs in the next five overs to keep the game alive.
But some adventurous hitting from Zachary Marrow, including attempted ramp shots, sparked the partnership between him and Jamie Byrne.
The duo then hit seven boundaries in the space of three overs before Marrow finished the game with a six down the ground.
Marrow and Byrne both finished not out on 39 and 21, respectively.
Tyler Puls was the pick of the bowlers for North with figures of 1/15, while Joshua Lees (1/40) took the early wicket of Aiden Graveson.
Laharum’s Daniel Griffiths was awarded man of the match honours following his exciting knock.
Following the success of the day, Combe said the association may look to make it an annual fixture.
“The blueprint is there now,” Combe said.
“We hope to build on this into next season, whether we include juniors before the seniors.
“Speaking to the players after the game, they’re more than happy and excited to continue with this format within our association.”
With donations still being counted, Combe advised the total figure raised would be confirmed in the coming days.
