Warrnambool and District cricket teams win country week titles

Warrnambool Blue claimed the Portland under 13 country week victory over South West Gold by four wickets.

Connor Brisbane (2-8) and Lachlan McCosh (30 not out) were instrumental in the win.

The under 16 girls claimed the Western Victoria Girls Shield in Hamilton defeating Ballarat by seven wickets.

Grace Schrama starred taking 1-2 with two maidens in her three overs and making 22 not out.

Coach Jacoba Mungean said she was proud of how her team played throughout the tournament.

"It feels really good, especially good because I coached the under 17s last season. It's good to go back-to-back - it's good for the girls and for girls cricket as well," she said.

"The fielding was amazing and so was the batting. Everyone pitched in as well and when they had the chance they took it.

"Overall we did really well. Anabelle Glossop made a ton yesterday and 57 not out on the first day and she made runs when we crucially needed it.

"With the ball Hannah Rooke with her spin bowled absolutely amazing.

"Half the girls returned and we brought in a few new players and they really gel together and looked like a team who have played together for years."

Five teams - four from the WDCA and one from SWC - played in grand finals at the junior representative competitions.

Three girls teams - under 14s, 16s and 18s - and one of the under 13 boys teams represented the WDCA while SWC had one of its under 13s sides.

The under 14 and 18 girls ended up losing their finals against Wimmera and Hamilton District by 90 runs and 10 wickets respectively.

The two under 13 boys sides - Warrnambool Blue and South West Gold - finished in first and second respectively to qualify for finals where they beat Mount Gambier one and Hamilton Gold in the semis.

Warrnambool Gold (two wins and two losses) and South West Green (one win, two losses and one bye) just missed the finals, finishing fifth and sixth in the under 13s.

In the under 14 girls the second of the WDCA's teams - Warrnambool Gold - finished the tournament winless after their five games.

Woodford secured its one-day title this season in similar style to its first in 2019-20.

In both games the Eels scored a 200-plus score batting first, two of its batters scoring half-centuries and at least two of its bowlers nailing down the opposition's chase.

In 2019-20 it was captain Nick Butters (94 from 109) and Liam Burgess (55 from 97) while this season it was Bailey Jenkinson (83 of 117) and Kory Howlett (50 from 76).

Hank Schlaghecke (2-39 and 3-39) and Conner Richardson (3-22 and 1-24 and three maidens) were key bowlers in both years while Jenkinson (0-16 with three maidens from nine overs) played his part this year.

The south-west's cricket leagues have seen a number of centuries so far this season with 29 senior tons recorded in the 2020-21 summer.

Grassmere's Braden Hotker was the most recent and is one of nine century makers in the top grades of the South West Cricket, Warrnambool and District and Grassmere cricket associations.

Russells Creek's Shashan Silva (103 from 107 balls) is the only one in the WDCA while Hamish Gleeson (117), Ben Julius (136 from 106) and Todd Mclean (102 from 74) are the GCA's others.

In the SWC Clinton Baker (121 from 139), Tom Moloney (102* from 132), Eddie Lucas (105 from 119) and Jacob Fishwick (105 from 64) have notched up tons.

Bailey Jenkinson (Woodford) 83; Ben Threlfall (West Warrnambool) 76; Matt Love (Brierly-Christ Church) 59; Kory Howlett (Woodford) 57*; Cam Williams (Russells Creek) 56*; Ben Dobson (Wesley-CBC) 54*; Geethal Fernando (Brierly-Christ Church) 4-8; Alex Jennings (Port Fairy) 4-15; Fletcher Cozens (West Warrnambool) 3-11; Tim Ryan (Russells Creek) 3-13; Shiwantha Kumara (Russells Creek) 3-19

Johno Benallack (Cobden) 67*; Jacob Fishwick (Noorat) 61; Shane Slater (Mortlake) 57*; Harry Sumner (Camperdown) 56; Tim Fitzgerald (Bookaar) 54*, 3-33; Isaac Wareham (Mortlake) 53; Lahiru Fernando (Pomborneit) 4-6; Darcy Meade (Cobden) 4-31; Isaac Kenna (Noorat) 4-36; Ben Clarke (Cobden) 3-24; Jackson Rock (Cobden) 3-26;

Braden Hotker (Grassmere) 117*, 3-26; Xavier McCartney (Yambuk) 57*; Chris Arthur (Wangoom) 55; Connor Umbers (Yambuk) 44; Brady Purcell (Hawkesdale) 42; Daniel Jones (Killarney) 40*; Christo Rook (Yambuk) 3-22; Brad Bushell (Grassmere) 3-33; Zach Woolcock (Killarney) 2-13; Stuart Hill (Killarney) 2-19; Damian Jones (Woolsthorpe) 2-22;

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.