Cricket
10 March, 2026
Warriors and Bullants Set for Grand Final
A month after contesting the one-day premiership, the West Wimmera Warriors and the Bullants will play each other for the Horsham Cricket Association A grade premiership after recording hard-fought semifinal victories on March 7-8.
At Horsham City Oval, West Wimmera won the toss and elected to bowl against Swifts-Great Western.
Warriors skipper Nathan Alexander had the Lions in early trouble, dismissing key batsmen Aiden Graveson and Zachary Marrow on consecutive deliveries.
Ethan Marrow and Max McMahon got the side to 2/38 before Nathan Alexander dismissed McMahon and Jesse Eckel in the 16th over.
Ethan Marrow (56) and Jack Cann (25) then put on a 58-run partnership, but after the critical wicket of Marrow by Austin Merrett, the Warriors quickly finished off the Combine tail, dismissing them for 115.
Nathan Alexander finished with 4/28, while Jeremy Weeks (3/5) and Austin Merrett (3/15) each took three wickets for the Warriors.
The Combine immediately put the pressure back on the Warriors after dismissing Brad Alexander in the opening over of the Warriors’ innings.
Brodie Cramer and Mitchell Dahlenburg put in a disciplined partnership of 47 before Dahlenburg was dismissed late on day one.
Resuming day two at 2/47, Matt Heffer took the early wicket of Nathan Alexander.
However, a steady 29 from Brodie Cramer and 32 from Jeremy Weeks helped the Warriors win the first innings. They lost just four wickets.
Joshua Lees (34 not out) and Tim Braendler (16 not out) saw out the remainder of the innings as the Warriors finished 7/181, advancing to the grand final.
Jayden McCartney (3/45) and Matt Heffer (2/31) were the standout bowlers for the losing Lions’ team.
Speaking with Wimmera Mallee News after the game, Nathan Alexander was proud of the team’s batting performance on day two.
“We had a few nice early overs before we lost a couple of wickets, but we bat really deep, and I was backing the boys,” Alexander said.
“Stawell didn't make it very easy for us either; they bowled really tight and really well.”
Having missed the two-day grand final last year, the skipper is excited to play for the major premiership.
“It feels good to be in the two-day grand final,” Alexander said.
“We didn’t play in it last year and lost the last one before that, so we’re really chasing that two-day premiership.
“It will be good to have another crack at it.”
Meanwhile, at Central Park in Stawell, the Bullants' pair of Matthew Combe and Jamie Byrne started to look comfortable before Chaminda Gamage bowled Combe for 31.
Two more wickets fell, leaving the Bullants at 4/71. Skipper Tony Caccaviello led with a knock of 54.
Contributions from Phoenix Hopper and Tim Crick helped the side reach 5/149.
Laharum’s Jason Kannar was able to clean up the Bullants’ lower order, bowling them out for 183 at stumps.
Kannar finished with 4/9, while Jim McInnes (2/28) and Joel Pymer (2/51) each produced two wickets.
Laharum openers Daniel Griffiths and Max Bunworth put on 32 early on day two, before Tony Caccaviello struck, taking three wickets in the space of three overs.
Shortly after, spinner Phoenix Hopper took the key wicket of Griffiths (38), igniting a middle-order collapse that had the Demons reeling at 7/87.
Laharum captain Josh Mahoney and Jackson Hoffman (22) got the side back into the game with a 55-run partnership before Hopper bowled Mahoney for 34.
Tony Caccaviello took the final two wickets to dismiss Laharum for 150, handing the Bullants a 33-run win and a place in the grand final.
For the Bullants, Caccaviello backed up his half-century with a fantastic bowling performance of 5/46, while Hopper had 4/40.
