Cricket
3 November, 2025
Demons bowl way to first victory
An exciting mix of A grade games took place on Saturday, November, 1 in round three of the Horsham Cricket Association senior season, including Laharum recording their first win of the season against an in-form Swifts-Great Western.
Among other results, the Bullants and West Wimmera remain the only unbeaten sides.
Playing at home, Laharum opted to bat first; however, besides 32 runs from Max Bunworth, the Demons' top order struggled, eventually falling to 7-63 in the 22nd over.
Supported by Matthew Kerr (15) at the crease, Ben Peucker hit 70 off just 51 deliveries, including 11 boundaries, to help the team to 158 before being bowled out in the 39th over.
Will Clough and Matthew Dean were the pick of the visitors’ bowlers, with figures of 3/24 and 2/22, respectively.
In response, Aiden Graveson (43) and Zachary Marrow helped guide Swifts-Great Western to be 2/91 at the 20-over mark.
But after Ethan Marrow was unluckily run out, Laharum continued to produce breakthrough after breakthrough, bowling out their opponents for 129 in the 35th over.
Josh Hutchinson finished off the tail with figures of 3/3, while Jason Kannar (2/12) and skipper Joshua Mahoney (2/29) produced key wickets and economical bowling as the Demons won by 29 runs.
Mahoney was pleased with the win and acknowledged that the team was rewarded for their consistent bowling effort.
“At drinks, when we were batting, we were five or six down for not many,” Mahoney said.
“Max Bunworth had done a good job and then Ben Peucker wound back the clock a bit, belted a few big ones to get us there and batted with Matty Kerr just to give us something to bowl to.
“With the ball, we just didn't get the luck early, but the boys really strangled later and just put some pressure on.
“We had a bit of luck, like the runout at the bowler's end.
“I think it's a game of momentum; we just got on it and kept going and the young boys bowled really well at the end just to finish it off as well.”
Playing at home, Donald Jeffcott elected to bat against West Wimmera.
Despite the Warriors missing captain and frontline bowler Nathan Alexander, the visitors had Donald Jeffcott 3/44 after 11 overs.
But 80 runs from Koby Westerland supported by contributions from Sam Postlethwaite (26) and Lachlan Jones (36) lifted the team to 7/210 from their 40 overs.
Brodie Cramer led the side with three wickets (3/52), as Austin Merrett (1/20) and Jobe Dickinson (1/32) provided economical contributions.
The Warriors' opening pair of Brad Alexander and Mitchell Dahlenburg got off to a flying start, putting on 138 runs before Dahlenburg (51) was dismissed in the 26th over.
Despite losing consistent wickets, Brad Alexander led his side to a three-wicket victory, hitting a six to win the match for his side with eight balls to spare.
Alexander hit the league’s first century of the season, finishing with 124 not out off 113 balls, which included 15 boundaries.
Bronte Campbell (3/43) and Nicholas Atkins (2/31) were the pick of Donald Jeffcott’s bowlers in the tight loss.
Another competitive game was played out at Dudley Cornell Park, with Lubeck Murtoa prevailing by 18 runs over the Colts.
Sent into bat, the trio of Joshua Hedt (47), Shannon Reddie and Cameron Newell (41 not out) led Lubeck Murtoa to 3/153 from the 40 overs.
Josh Colbert (1/12), Joey Nagorcka (1/20) and Logan Millar (1/33) were the Colts wicket-takers.
In response, Dylan Arnott (31), Luke Deutscher (23) and Millar (23) got the side to 3/99 in the 25th over.
Despite contributions from the middle order, the Colts lost their final four wickets for just two runs to be bowled out for 135.
One week after Aaron Leith recorded a hat-trick, the Mudlarks produced a team hat-trick in the last three wickets off a Shannon Reddie over.
Reddie finished with figures of 3/30, while captain Cameron Newell had 2/17 from his eight overs.
At Dimboola Road Oval, the Tigers opted to bat against the Bullants but were quickly in trouble, as the Bullants had them reeling at 6/19 in the 15th over.
A determined 31 not out from Martyn Knight helped bring the Tigers' total to 60 before they were bowled out, as no one else in the side managed to get double figures.
With six bowlers taking wickets, Tony Caccaviello (3/13), Jack Combe (2/2) and Matthew Combe (2/1) all took multiple wickets.
Despite an early wicket, the Bullants chased down the 61 runs in the 11th over, with unbeaten knocks of 39 from Jason Harris and 15 from Jack Wyeth, while David Puls produced the Tigers’ wicket (1/22).
At Anzac Park in Warracknabeal, St Mary’s elected to bat on a challenging home deck against Brim Kellalac Sheep Hills (Brim KSH)
Nathan Priest (12) and Daniel Westerland (13) got the side to 24 runs without the loss of a wicket, but the home side managed just 30 more runs as the Brim KSH bowling attack bowled St Mary’s out for 54 in the 28th over.
Tim Bell (3/3 off six overs) and Charlie Dean (3/7) did most of the damage in Brim KSH’s fantastic bowling performance.
Bell continued his exploits with the bat, hitting 38 not out off 25 deliveries to deliver his side a nine-wicket victory.
Brodie Dennes was the best of the St Mary’s bowlers, with figures of 1/8 off four overs.