Cricket
27 January, 2025
Games in the balance after day one
Round 11 of the Horsham Cricket Association returned to the two-day format on Saturday, and after day one, there are three games evenly poised.
At Coughlin Park, the Saints are on target to get their second point of the season, finishing the day 1/81 after bowling Laharum out for 148 in the 45th over at Coughlin Park.
After sending the Demons into bat, the Saints took three early wickets to have Laharum reeling. Dayan Wilfred and Josh Mahoney then put on a terrific partnership, but when Wilfred fell, so did the wickets, with Laharum falling to be all out for 148.
Mahoney scored an unbeaten 67 while Brock Hamerston 3/35 was the pick of the bowlers for the Saints along with Jono Carroll 2/28 (8), Zachary Hamerston 2/35 (8) and Archie Sostheim 2/7 (3.5).
In reply, the Saints are in a comfortable position, with Dezi Carter and Corey Smith unbeaten on 23 and 29, respectively. The Demons need early wickets if they are to gain the points.
At Brim Recreation Reserve, BrimKSH is in the box position to attack an outright win against Lubeck Murtoa. After losing the toss and being sent into bat, the Eagles made 10/210, with Tim Bell scoring 106.
In reply, they have the Mudlarks reeling at 4/2,7 with Joshua Hedt unbeaten on 15. Jeremy Preston produced a blistering spell with the ball, claiming 3/6 (6) with three maidens, while Isaac McPherson also picked up a wicket.
At the Horsham City Oval, a sensational seven-wicket haul to Matt Combe has put the Bullants in a solid position.
After winning the toss and bowling, Combe did early damage, taking the first five wickets of the game. Despite taking seven wickets, the Tigers were bowled out for 198, their highest score of the season.
Angus Adams top scored with 64 and, for the first time this season, had teammates that stuck around, with Codi Kenny and Martyn Knight scoring 35 and 42, respectively.
Combe finished with figures of 7/50 (19.5).
At stumps, the Bullants are sitting on 1/84, with Austin Smith and Jamie Byrne unbeaten on 35 and 10, respectively, after Justtin Combe made 34. Dom Rose was the sole wicket-taker for the Tigers and currently has figures of 1/3 (3).
At Davis Park, the Homers have it all to do next Saturday, with West Wimmera Warriors putting up a massive score of 7/321.
Bradley Alexander and Mitchell Dahlenburg missed out on centuries, scoring 94 and 92, respectively. Brodie Cramer did the damage when they fell, scoring an unbeaten 53.
Adam Atwood was the pick of the Homers bowlers with figures of 4/96 (22).
PANTHERS POUNCE ON EAGLES
Rupanyup/Minyip Panthers are in the box position for an outright victory against BrimKSH following a solid performance at Minyip Recreation Reserve in round 10 of the B-grade competition.
After winning the toss and batting, the Eagles got off to a great start through openers Trent Allen and Josh Collinson, putting on a 60-run opening stand.
Allen fell for 16 off 74 balls, and the domino effect happened. Connor McGinniss and Barry Schilling fell for ducks, and the Eagles were suddenly three down.
Collinson and Sam Tickner put on a solid partnership before Collinson fell for 56. Tickner batted well, but when Seth Talbot got him for 20, the Eagles were in trouble, fighting to bat out the day.
Oliver Holland and Liam Stopps, the young teenagers, put up brilliant resistance. They batted for 10 overs together, with Holland scoring three off 37 balls and Stopps seven off 33 balls, helping guide the Eagles to 129.
With 10 overs to bat, the Panthers openers wasted no time and came out swinging, with Leigh Funcke scoring 30 and Brent Hudson an unbeaten 42 as they finished the day at 1/91.
Harry Withers took the only wicket for the Eagles. The Eagles will look to get early wickets, while the Panthers will look for a potential outright victory.
The Horsham Saints put on a batting clinic at Quantong Recreation Reserve, finishing the day 7/354 against Quantong.
Alan Dube, 88, David Pike, 61, and Kingsley Dalgleish, 59, caused the damage.
Muzz Wilson 2/28 (8) and Zac Walter 2/44 (6) were the multiple wicket-takers for Quantong.
At Dudley Cornell Park, the match between the Colts and Bullants is evenly poised heading into day two.
After winning the toss and batting, the Bullants were bowled out for 156 in the 44th over, with John Heard top-scoring for the Bullants with 31.
Beau Purchase was the pick of the Colts bowlers with 3/17 (12,) while Dylan Arnott 2/19, Kevin Purchase 2/43 and Drew Carmody 2/18 also took multiple wickets.
At stumps, the Colts are 3/7,2, with Beau Purchase and Darren Stephens unbeaten on one run. Earlier, Dylan Arnott scored 53 off 37 balls, including seven fours and three sixes, to put them in a good position.
WARRIORS DEFEAT RAMS IN THRILLER
The West Wimmera Warriors defeated Natimuk by one wicket in a thriller at Natimuk Recreation Reserve in round 12 of the Horsham Cricket Association's C-grade competition.
After winning the toss and batting, Natimuk were bowled out for 109 in the 32nd over. Ashley Dickinson 2/11 (3) and Nate Prenzler 2/11 (4) were the multiple wicket-takers for the Warriors.
Dickinson then backed his bowling up with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 66 as they chased the total down in 30 overs, finishing at 9/110.
Lachlan Hutchinson was the pick of the Rams bowlers, claiming 4/17 (7), which included his first hat trick. Hunter Schmidt also bowled well, finishing with 2/25 (8).
At Dimboola Road Oval, Lubeck Murtoa had a comfortable nine-wicket win over the Horsham Tigers.
After winning the toss and batting, the Tigers made 100, but they were bowled out in the 38th over. Cody Stewart top-scored with 22, while opener Michael Fontana scored 13.
Darcy Schultz was the pick of the Mudlarks bowlers with figures of 3/16 (6). Finnian Delahunty also took multiple wickets, finishing with figures of 2/15 (3).
In reply, the Mudlarks chased the total down in the 22nd over with the loss of one wicket. William Gellatly and Seth Callaby finished unbeaten on 43 and six, respectively, while Declan Ballantine scored 30.
Dale Dridan was the wicket-taker for the Tigers, finishing with figures of 1/10 (3).
