Sport
21 November, 2025
Avoca takes top spot in A reserve
The first portion of round five’s split fixtures has already seen a changing of the guard atop A reserve as Avoca have overtaken MKM in first place.
Laanecoorie Dunolly 66 def by Avoca 1/68
Openers Brad Palmer and Nathan Coghlan made the most of another outstanding bowling performance from Avoca to maintain the Bulldogs’ perfect start to the season.
Avoca’s frightening bowling duo of Glen Cosgriff and James Collicoat brought back memories of Lillee and Thomson, causing a top-order Laane collapse of 4/13.
Patrick Pritchard stepped up when Laane desperately needed run support, meticulously working his way to scoring 29. Despite Pritchard’s efforts, Avoca remained ruthless in picking off his partners.
Led by Cosgriff’s 4/14 from 6.1 overs, Avoca virtually had one hand on the six points by bowling Laane 66. However, after Laane was close to defending 30 the week prior, the win wasn’t foolproof.
Palmer and Coghlan wasted no time attacking the total, combining for eight boundaries before Coghlan was dismissed for 27 by Jayden McDonald.
Avoca’s quickfire 56-run opening stand did the damage, with Palmer top-scoring on 35 not out to surpass the target inside 10 overs.
Colts Phelans 111 def MKM 86
Following their shaky start to the season, Colts Phelans have reemerged as a premiership contender by besting the previously undefeated MKM by 25 runs.
MKM clearly didn’t develop any rust during their round four bye, as Joshua O’Connor and Muhammad Haseeb Khan ambushed the Colts immediately, having the hosts at one point teetering at 4/8.
As the MKM sharks circled the sinking ship, Bayden Macintyre and Riley Govan provided a lifeboat to the Colts innings, with Macintyre hitting 42 and Govan adding 17.
The determination of Macintyre and Govan, coupled with a noticeable wagging of the tail, allowed the Colts to score a respectable 111.
Despite Luke Patterson removing star all-rounder Khan for one, who finished the first innings with top figures of 4/23, MKM remained in control thanks to a solid partnership by Jarrod Nedelkovski and Sebastian Borg.
Suddenly, momentum swung in the Colts’ favour when Ethan Chaplin dismissed Nedelkovski and Borg in quick succession, sparking an MKM collapse where they lost their last eight wickets for 36 runs.
Patterson led the Colts with the ball with 3/14 from eight overs, while Nedelkovski top-scored for MKM with 26.
Maryborough 6/196 def Beaufort Red 118
Outstanding knocks from Ben Robertson, Lachlan Bursill and Kristopher Bagley powered Maryborough past the dangerous Beaufort Red by 78 runs.
The trio routinely dissected a bowling attack that bowled Laanecoorie Dunolly for 30 last round, with half-centuries from Robertson and Bagley, as well as 48 from Bursill, bringing the Owls to 2/155.
Credit to Beaufort Red, their bowling attack, led by two wickets from Benjamin and Harrison Grant, did remarkably well to keep Maryborough under 200.
It looked like Beaufort Red would provide a severe challenge to Maryborough’s total with openers Blake Jantzen and Thomas Grant looking in splendid touch.
An Owls five-punch combo, headlined by a trifecta of wickets from Paul Jardine, caused Beaufort Red to lose their first five wickets for just 10 runs.
Despite Grant finishing unbeaten on 43 not out, Maryborough cruised to victory as they now sit three points behind top-of-the-table Avoca.
Clunes vs Beaufort Blue
The second half of the ongoing split rounds pits Clunes against Beaufort Blue, with both teams desperate for a win for differing reasons.
While it’s inconceivable they could replicate their historic performance in round four, where they bowled Carisbrook for 17, a win for the Magpies will place them three points outside the finals places behind Colts Phelans and MKM.
Meanwhile, a Beaufort Blue victory would be a massive confidence-booster for a team who have played well in patches this season, but hasn’t been rewarded with a win.