Cricket
27 February, 2026
Hopper spins to hat-trick
The final round of the Horsham Cricket Association junior competition took place on the weekend, headlined by Jazz Hopper recording a hat-trick playing for the Bullants in the under 14 competition. Pictured: Edward Schorback
The final round of the Horsham Cricket Association junior competition took place on the weekend, headlined by Jazz Hopper recording a hat-trick playing for the Bullants in the under 14 competition.
In the under 16s, Dunmunkle, the Tigers and Homers all recorded victories.
At Minyip Recreation Reserve, the Dunmunkle Renegades elected to bat against the Bullants and scored 2/151 from 22 overs.
Ryder Hudson and Jake McKenzie led the way with superb retired-not-out knocks of 54 (from 36 balls) and 51 (41), respectively.
Oscar Combe was the pick of the Bullants' bowlers with 1/6.
In response, the Bullants fell 12 runs short of the Renegades, finishing at 6/139.
Judd Oakley led the visitors with 52 retired not out from 42 balls while Mason Hair scored 30 (33).
For the Panthers, Jake McKenzie finished with figures of 2/16, while Finnian Delahunty had an economical 1/8 from his three overs.
At Dimboola Road Oval, the Tigers elected to bat against Blackheath Dimboola and were bowled out for 108 in the final over.
Archie Knight led the side with 44 off 35 deliveries while opener Cody Stewart scored 17 (21).
For the Bulls, Jack Dodds (2/6) and Edward Schorback (2/13) each took two wickets.
Despite a retired-not-out knock of 51 from 49 by Albert Schorback, the Bulls fell six runs short of the Tigers’ total, finishing with 3/102.
Ryan Steadman (1/4) and Joel Plazzer (1/11) led the Tigers with economical bowling to go with their wickets.
At Coughlin Park, Homers elected to bowl against the Saints, who finished 3/81.
Jackson Tuohey led the home side with 30 not out (34) and Hunter Schmidt scored 21.
Skipper Phoenix Hopper finished with 2/12 with the ball and Jack Arnel had 1/9.
Not-out innings from Phoenix Hopper (50 from 41) and Henry Walsgott (24 from 36) saw Homers comfortably finish 1/83 in the 14th over.
Alan Kuriakose took 1/14 to be the pick of the Saints’ bowlers.
In the under 14s, the Bullants, Tigers and Bulls all produced wins.
At Davis Park, the Bullants elected to bat against West Wimmera and belted a team-wide 18 boundaries to finish 1/170 from 20 overs.
Milton Ellis (25), Oscar Combe (24), Angus Crute (22), Zack Pickering (20), Jazz Hopper (20) and Thomas Combe (20) all retired not out.
Hendrix Clugston was the solitary wicket taker for the Warriors as he finished with 1/17.
The Bullants then continued their dominance with the ball as they bowled West Wimmera out for 54.
The highlight of the game was undoubtedly leg spinner Jazz Hopper securing a hat-trick with his first three deliveries of the game in the seventh over.
After dismissing Lenny Shurdington and Hendrix Clugston with the first two balls, a Judd Oakley catch secured the wicket of Oakley Moylan and the rare feat.
Jazz Hopper ultimately finished with 3/2 while Oscar Combe ended the game with wickets on consecutive deliveries to finish with 2/3.
At Dimboola Road Oval, the Renegades elected to bat against the Tigers and scored 6/52.
Braxton Starick and Judd Thomson each scored nine not out while Tex Askew led the Tigers with the ball, taking 2/8, well supported by Arkie Mackley (1/5).
In response, the Tigers passed the total before finishing their 20 overs 5/127.
Top-order batsmen Tex Askew (23), Lenny Carter (22) and Arkie Mackley (19) all retired not out.
For the Renegades, William McCurdy picked up 2/8 and Nate Talbot had 1/9.
At Coughlin Park, the Saints elected to bowl against Blackheath Dimboola, who totalled 7/90.
Harry Lindner top scored with 17 while Oliver Cook retired not out on 15.
For the Saints, Chaz Schmidt produced a great spell of 3/3 and Elliot McKinnon had 2/11.
In reply, the Saints reached 7/71, led by retired not-out knocks from Cooper Rentsch (12) and Jack Sawyer.
For the Bulls, Edward Schorback led the side with 2/1 and Dylan Walker (2/8) also produced two wickets.
The junior semi-finals commence this Friday night from 5pm with the under 16s, where the Renegades host the Bullants at Minyip Recreation Reserve and the Tigers host Homers at Dimboola Road Oval.
On Saturday from 9am, the under 14 semi-finals will see the Bullants host Blackheath Dimboola at Noradjuha Recreation Reserve and the Tigers meet the Renegades at Dimboola Road Oval.