Sport
13 February, 2026
Beaufort and Colts are set for blockbuster finish
Following a frenetic first day, the Colts and Bulls now know their equations to procure the highly coveted first innings points.
The Colts will resume their innings on 5/52, still needing 74 runs to escape from their top-order collapse and keep in touch with a Laanecoorie Dunolly side likely to defeat Maryborough after scoring 323.
For as much talent as their line-up possesses, the reigning premiers have disintegrated on numerous occasions with the bat this season.
That includes being 4/31 in their round four draw versus Clunes, 4/25 in a two-wicket win against Mary-borough and finding themselves 5/61 in their last meeting with Beaufort.
Credit to the Colts, they have routinely dug themselves out of trouble, often thanks to the heroics of Josh Collinson and Ben Evans.
However, with Collinson unavailable and Evans already out, this looks to be their trickiest escape when Liam Stubbings and Asim Akhtar resume their knocks.
While new arrival Stubbings is an unproven commodity in these scenarios, offseason recruit Akhtar has played his way to some impressive credentials this season.
The star all-rounder has made life easier on himself with an earth-rattling 6/38 in the first innings, bringing his season wicket tally to a potent 22 wickets.
Alongside his prowess with the ball, Akhtar entered round 13 third in the run-scoring charts, hitting a season-high 66 in a similar situation as this weekend’s in the Colts’ round five defeat to Laane.
If Stubbings and Akhtar falter, the Colts have an insurance policy with Luke Tatchell still in the sheds. The wicketkeeper saved the Colts in round seven with an unbeaten 18 to navigate past Maryborough.
As for their opponents, the Bulls’ objective will be wickets, needing five more to ensure they maintain their nine-point gap in fourth over Carisbrook, who are in a dominant position against Clunes.
While their captain Brandon Walsh has been the spearhead with a league-leading 26 wickets this season, the rest of the Bulls’ bowling attack is starting to take shape.
Two-time Ken Gibbs medallist Lachlan Oddie has been bowling superbly this season, as demonstrated by not conceding a run in his four overs last weekend.
Wickets began to flow for Oddie in round 12, taking a game-changing 4/16 that carried Beaufort to victory versus the Owls.
The return of seamer Jayden Scotland has come at the perfect time for the Bulls, giving them an imposing opening tandem alongside Theo Trevelyan-Clark to complement the spin duo of Walsh and Oddie.
After scoring 14 breakthroughs last season, Scotland looks to be hitting his stride following a hiatus, taking two vital wickets at the end of day one.