By Colin MacGillivray

Brim-Kellalac-Sheep Hills kept its Horsham Cricket Association A Grade finals hopes alive at the weekend with a hard-fought win against Noradjuha-Toolondo at Horsham City Oval.

The Eagles entered round 11 with a 4-6 record, needing a victory to keep in touch with the top four with a pair of two-day games remaining in the final rounds.

The visitors won the toss and chose to bowl, but struggled to break the opening Bullant tandem of Justtin and Matt Combe, who took little time to settle into the innings.

The pair forged a partnership of 57 before Justtin was trapped in front by Fletcher Bright for 33, but Matt powered ahead as his next two partners – Jack Combe and Jamie Byrne – departed quickly.

Matt was finally dismissed for 86 by Charlie Dean after a stellar innings that included nine fours and four sixes, departing with his team at 4-158 with eight overs remaining.

With wickets in hand the Bullants swung freely, with captain Troy Dumesny making a quick-fire 30, but Dean continued to rack up wickets for the Eagles, finishing with 4-41 as the home side ended its 40 overs at 8-207.

Requiring more than five runs an over in a difficult chase, the visitors got away to a dream start through opening batsmen Sandon Schultz and Leigh Dovaston.

While neither reached a half-century, Schultz’s 43 runs and Dovaston’s 42 included a cumulative 12 boundaries, putting their team on track before they fell to Jack and Justtin Combe respectively.

Justtin struck again soon after, adding the scalps of Chris McPherson and Fletcher Bright in back-to-back overs to put the Eagles on the back foot at 4-107.

But the depth of the visitors’ batting line-up shone through, with Isaac McPherson coming to the rescue at number five with an unbeaten 50 from 54 balls to guide his team to victory.

McPherson batted first with Lachlan McGinniss, 21, and then Ethan Schilling, 27 not out, as the Eagles reached 5-209 with 11 balls to spare.

While the victory kept the Eagles in the finals race, they still face an uphill battle as they trail both fourth-placed Donald-Jeffcott and fifth-placed Swifts-Great Western by two wins.

Aiding the Eagles’ cause was a surprise loss for the Lions, who collapsed on their Stawell home ground in a nine-wicket loss to Colts.

The Lions elected to bat after winning the toss, but were put on the back foot in the fourth over when Logan Millar removed captain Aiden Graveson for three runs.

Wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals thereafter, with Jay Couch striking twice in the ninth over to remove Jack Cann and Tom Fitzgerald – the latter for a two-ball duck.

Fitzgerald was one of four ducks on the Swifts-Great Western scoresheet, with only Max McMahon, 14, reaching double figures.

Couch had a day out with 4-20 from five overs, while Jake Mclean added 3-8 as the visitors had the Lions all out for 67.

The Colts made light work of the run chase, with Dylan Arnott’s unbeaten 43 at the top of the order leading the way, supported by Jaxon Crooks, 12, and Couch, 12 not out as the visitors raced to 1-71 in less than 20 overs.

West Wimmera stayed atop the ladder with a 36-run win over Horsham Tigers.

Led by opening batsman Brad Alexander’s 60 runs, the Warriors made 6-164 at their Davis Park home.

The Tigers’ run chase looked as if it might be a short one, as West Wimmera bowler Josh Lees had opener Janith Herath out for a golden duck on the first ball of the innings, and struck again in his next over to remove Callum Jackson for a single run.

The Tigers lost their first three wickets with only five runs on the board, and while they recovered with knocks of 30 to Ricci Marks and Adam Carter, they were never able to get back on track for victory. Lees, 4-16, and Nathan Alexander, 3-23, did the bulk of the damage for the home side as they bowled the Tigers out for 128.

Second-placed Laharum also impressed, travelling to Murtoa Recreation Reserve to beat Lubeck-Murtoa by 79 runs.

Choosing to bat after winning the toss, the Demons blasted 5-222 after opener Daniel Griffiths made 50 and Monty Wynne scored 70 from only 57 deliveries.

The Mudlarks struggled in reply, with Seth Callaby, 61, and Xavier Shevlin, 33, scoring the bulk of their 143 runs before running out of batsmen.

Donald-Jeffcott was little troubled in an eight-wicket win against St Mary’s, bowling the Saints out for 128 after only opener Nathan Priest, 56, offered significant resistance, with Oscar Hier taking a team-best 4-15.

Dylan Ruurds was on song during the run chase, scoring an unbeaten 74 with support from skipper Eddie Landwehr, 34 not out.

In the two-day matches commencing this weekend, Colts will host Swifts-Great Western at Dudley Cornell Park, West Wimmera travels to Brim to play the Eagles, the Bullants are again at Horsham City Oval against St Mary’s, Donald-Jeffcott welcomes visiting Lahaurm and the Horsham Tigers are on the road against Lubeck-Murtoa.

Other grades

Standout individual performances at the weekend included Swifts-Great Western B Grade bowler Marc Brilliant, who lived up to his name with 5-9 from seven overs in a 15-run win against Colts, who were led by an unbeaten 55 from Steven Harrison.

Horsham Tiger Brenton Hallam made 61 runs in a loss to Donald-Jeffcott, Bullant Dallas Hobbs scored 59 in another losing effort against Rupanyup-Minyip, and Mark McPherson led the Eagles to victory against Horsham Saints with 58 runs.

Outstanding C Grade performances included Laharum’s Sean Wouters and Ben Peucker, both retiring on 50 not out, as did Swifts-Great Western’s Tom Robinson and Darby Grinham, while Albert Schorback scored 64 for Blackheath-Dimboola and Solmon Riddell made an unbeaten 52 for Rhymney-Moyston.

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