Sport
7 November, 2025
Avoca stars in senior comeback
Avoca’s much-anticipated return to senior cricket headlined an intriguing weekend of A reserve cricket, with multiple teams producing some commanding results.
Avoca 6/132 def Clunes 130
A new era of Avoca senior cricket has started with a bang, knocking off the back-to-back reigning premiers Clunes by four wickets.
Outside of an entertaining knock from Daniel Fordham, who scored 28, Avoca’s opening bowlers Matt Drummond and Glen Cosgriff did a brilliant job restricting runs early.
That put severe pressure on the Magpies’ middle order to take risks in an attempt to increase the run rate, allowing Tyson Gray and Jedd Gay to take advantage with several breakthroughs.
A late 22 from Paul Coon brought the visitors to a respectable total, while Cosgriff cleaned up the tail to limit the Magpies to 130 and finish with top figures of 3/13 from seven overs.
Despite some exceptional opening bowling from Josh Dunn and Coon leading to two early wickets, solid knocks from Brad Palmer and James Collicoat kept Avoca ahead of the curve.
Captain Cameron Holland’s 39 brought the hosts to the precipice of victory, with Nathan Coghlan finishing the job with 11 overs to spare.
Colts Phelans 7/209 def Laanecoorie Dunolly 47
After starting their season with back-to-back losses, last season’s runners-up Colts Phelans have kickstarted their season with a dominant performance against an undermanned Laanecoorie Dunolly, winning by 162 runs.
The Colts showcased how they finished the 2024/25 season with the most runs in the competition, as an 89-run partnership between Bayden Macintyre and Luke Patterson put the hosts in control.
Patterson managed to reach his 50 before being removed by Callum Liddicoat, while a valuable 41 from Daniel McGregor allowed the Colts to end with a strong total of 209.
Liddicoat was the bright spot of Laane’s bowling attack, taking the big wickets of Macintyre, Patterson and Dayne Baker.
With Laane’s star batters Benjamin Smith and Steven Dellavedova called up to A grade, Baker and Patterson made quick work of Laane’s batting lineup, taking three wickets each.
McGregor finished the job with three wickets of his own to give the Colts their first win of the season.
MKM 3/66 def Beaufort Blue 56
MKM has started their campaign with three consecutive victories as their lethal bowling attack skittled Beaufort Blue for 56, setting the stage for a comfortable run chase.
With opener Adam Miller in brilliant touch at the top of the innings, Beaufort Blue were in a decent position at 3/41.
That was until Muhammad Haseeb Khan carved through Beaufort Blue’s middle order, finishing with remarkable figures of 4/9 from seven overs and three maidens.
Khan was the highlight of another outstanding bowling innings from MKM, where they forced five Beaufort Blue batters to be dismissed without troubling the scorers.
Dan Quixley put up some fight for Beaufort Blue with two wickets putting MKM at 3/24, but some outstanding shots from Jarrod Nedelkovski allowed the hosts to surpass 56, with Nedelkovski finishing unbeaten on 26 after smacking five fours.
Carisbrook 81 def by Maryborough 3/85
Maryborough has placed itself on the heels of top-of-the-table MKM following an impressive seven-wicket victory away to Carisbrook.
After losing their first two wickets without scoring a run, Caleb Cluff and Brad Thompson steadied the Carisbrook ship with a 54-run partnership.
However, after the Owls managed to remove Cluff and Thompson for 32 and 23 respectively in short order, Maryborough’s bowling artillery, led by a four-wicket haul from Paul Jardine, sunk Carisbrook to 81.
Despite Rohan Mackay dismissing openers Sam Thomson and Lachlan Bursill rather cheaply, a hard-hitting 29 from Jaxon Carmody and an unbeaten 20 from Anthony Sequeira got Maryborough comfortably over the line in the 22nd over.
Avoca 6/148 def Beaufort Red 64
Avoca maintained its perfect start to life back in senior cricket on Sunday with an 84-run victory over Beaufort Red.
Sunday’s clash finished round one’s split fixture and places Avoca in third on the A reserve ladder.
Forties from Glen Cosgriff and James Collicoat put the hosts in the driver’s seat before an outstanding spell at the death from Nicolas Stares, who finished with 4/15 from eight overs, brought Beaufort Red back into the contest.
A late rally from Nathan Coghlan and Liam McLinden brought Avoca to a chasable 148.
After their splendid efforts with the willow, Cosgriff and Collicoat were even more dominant with the ball, removing four of the first five Beaufort Red batters for a duck.
The duo combined to take nine wickets, with Collicoat leading with 5/27 and Cosgriff finishing with 4/11 as Avoca bowled Beaufort Red out in the 20th over despite the efforts of Craig Grant, who finished unbeaten on 22.
Round Four
Despite still being in the early stages of the season, round four possesses some intriguing matches that will provide a litmus test for several teams.
With league-leaders MKM having the bye, the clash between undefeated teams Maryborough and newcomers Avoca will decide who joins MKM at the top of the ladder with three consecutive wins.
After two losses on the bounce, Laanecoorie Dunolly will hope to replicate their dominant round one win over Beaufort Blue when they play fellow Beaufort-based team, Beaufort Red.
Speaking of Beaufort Blue, they will attempt to end their search for their first win of the season at home against a revitalised Colts Phelans.
Another team looking to get their name in the winners’ column is the reigning premiers Clunes, who will travel to play Carisbrook.