Cricket
10 October, 2024
Warriors tipped as team to beat
The West Wimmera Warriors are fired up and ready to defend their one-day title from last season and go one better in the two-day competition.
They have a team similar to last year's, with only one or two minor changes. Star player Nathan Alexander said the boys are looking forward to it and highlighted Xavier Bone as a player who could step up this season.
"We are giving it a good crack this year," Alexander said.
"BrimKSH and Colts are the unknown, as we don't know the players and their strengths, so that will be an interesting dynamic early on.
"The bye is a good thing as it will stop people from going away and can give them a week or two to organise something."
"Xavier Bone is a good seamer and was promising last year, and he has gotten bigger and stronger and has good knowledge and game sense, so I think he will take a good leap."
"Jobe Dickinson played well opening the batting last season and he is another that can elevate his game."
Mudlarks look to build in their second season.
Lubeck Murtoa enters its second season of A-grade with a healthy list and is ready to make finals. Last season, they started with injuries, and when they got their players back, they made a charge later in the season.
Josh Hedt is the captain, taking over from Shannon Reddie, who is now the vice-captain.
Club Secretary Phillip Yew said they have learned from last season and are aiming for big things this season.
"Last season, we learned the level that we need to play and had our first win in A-grade in 11 years last year, so we are looking at building," Yew said.
"We have learned lessons, and the players know where they need to be, and we hope to challenge for the finals this season.
"In the C-grade, we played our first finals series in over ten years, and those players will learn a lot. Cameron Newell is the captain, and our club is about developing a young team and good culture."
Yew highlighted Nick Ballagh and Xavier Shevlin as players to watch. When Ballagh returned from injury, he was one of the competition's best bowlers, and Shevlin is ready to shine.
"Nick will take a lot of wickets this year, and I think Shannon Reddie might challenge for the all-rounder medal," Yew said.
"Shannon won't have the pressure of captaincy, and it will free him up a bit and take on the batting and bowling.
"Xavier has had a year of A-grade experience and might be someone to look out for. He bowls on the spot and is training well."
Laharum looks to develop youth.
Laharum has another young team this season: Jackson and Harrison Hoffmann, Max Bunworth, Brodie Foster, Josh Hawker, and Josh Hutchinson, all teenagers who will have a long run in the A-grade competition.
Star bowler Josh Mahoney said it's an excellent opportunity for the youngsters to develop their cricket.
"Josh Hawker is an athletic left-arm bowler and loves cricket, and in the last game of the under-16s, he made a fifty, so he has a lot to build on," Mahoney said.
"It's exciting to see him step up and see how he goes, as you can only get better by pushing yourself."
"It's better for the kids to be in A-grade, and seeing them all step up will be exciting. It's a good challenge."
Bullants are ready to fire.
Noradjuha Toolondo is ready for the season and is bullish on its chances. Justtin Combe said they are putting the finishing touches on their team and that he is excited about the young players coming through.
"We've had conversations with players, and we will finalise that in the next couple of days," Combe said.
"We keep putting ourselves up there each year, and that's all we can do, and hopefully, things go right for us at the end of the season.
"We also have a group of young kids who are 15-16 that has tested the waters a bit in senior cricket and are training the house down and pushing us older blokes."
"Mason Hair, Chase Whelan, Jack Combe, and Angus Slatter will all push for senior matches most weeks."
Colts the wildcard.
The Colts are stepping up to A-grade and are the wildcard team. They have secured top-order batsman Logan Millar, bowler Joey Magorcka from the Homers, and Jake McLean from Dimboola.
Millar has been named captain, with Josh Colbert as the vice-captain.
Club president Beau Purchase said they have good numbers and look forward to the senior competition.
"We have had a strong couple of years in B-grade, so we have decided to come back and have a crack in A-grade," Purchase said.
"Joey Nagorcka will get many more opportunities to bowl, and he will be one to watch.
"I think we will be competitive. Everyone is looking good, and we have been training for the last month, and we trained on Sundays during the football finals, and we have a good mixture of blokes that can play both grades."
Newcomers set to take the league by storm.
BrimKSH enters the competition full of confidence. They won the Wimmera Mallee Cricket Association in 2023 and were runners-up to Donald Jeffcott last season.
They have youth featuring Kobe Macgregor and Charlie Dean and the experienced Chris, Mark McPherson, and Tim Bell.
Isaac McPherson is their best player. In the 2023/2024 season, he scored 427 runs at an average of 71.17 and took 16 wickets at an average of 8.69.
Club president Leigh Dovaston said they are excited to get into it.
"We have pretty much the same teams, and we may get a couple here and there, but there are no recruits," Dovaston said.
"We have had good numbers at training, regularly having approximately 18 players, and everyone is excited to try something different. We are looking forward to seeing different faces and grounds."
"Our bowlers are looking forward to two-day cricket and will flourish there, and we will see improvement from younger players, so everyone is itching to go."