Cricket
13 February, 2026
Warrack Juniors get win to set up last game final
With the Giants leading the WDJCA points table by four points, the Warracknabeal junior team had to secure a victory in the second last game of the season to force a play-off for the premiership trophy, and they did it in style at Hopetoun Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
The Giants won the toss and elected to bat on a beautiful batting wicket at Hopetoun last week.
Lenny Weir and Colt Decker started very well for the Giants, putting on 20 runs for the first wicket before Sam Williamson made the big breakthrough, taking the wicket of Weir with a jaffer of an inswinger.
As is sometimes the case when a team loses one wicket, another can quickly follow.
This occurred as the Giants lost not one but three quick wickets before Ned Jones steadied the ship with a nice knock of 18 runs before Jet Andrews took a great catch to dismiss him.
The Giants' tail did wag a little, however, as they were aided by some wayward bowling late in their innings as the younger Warracknabeal bowlers found the sides of the wicket with quite a few wide balls, allowing the extras to climb to 21 as their innings closed all out for 77 runs.
Warracknabeal took to the crease on Saturday morning requiring 78 runs for victory.
Openers Oliver Holland and Sam Williamson started with strong, positive stroke making and quite quickly put the game to bed with an opening stand of 61 runs before Williamson retired with 30 runs.
Oliver Holland promptly followed with 30* runs retired also.
The score was on 81 runs before the Giants captured their first wicket, trapping in-form batsman Bayden Jenkinson in front LBW for nine runs.
The middle order for the Warracknabeal juniors found some form with Chad Hartnett clipping a nice 20 in his comeback game after injury prevented him from any cricket in the first half of the season. Brother Jed was also successful with 15*.
The runs were flowing as the lower order also scored well with constructive shot selection by Jet and Bailey Andrews with nine runs each.
Charlie Slater and Isaac Credlin also scored a handful of useful runs.
The Giants worked hard in the field all morning, eventually dismissing their rivals for 159 runs, giving Warracknabeal victory by 82 runs.
Best performers for the Giants were opener Axel Decker with 1/16 from his five overs while youngsters Lukey Moore, Jagger Decker and Lewis Webster all claimed a wicket apiece.
This result sets up a cliff-hanging finish to the WDJCA season as the last game will now decide the premiers for 2025–26 after both sides finished the season with 10 points.
The round six final will be played in Brim over the next two weekends, starting on Saturday February 14 and concluding on Sunday February 22 with a post-game barbecue lunch and the presentation of the premiership trophy, along with individual league trophy winners being announced.
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