Sport
6 February, 2026
Clunes host Brook with finals at stake
With both teams receiving a major dent to their finals chances last weekend, Clunes and Carisbrook will attempt to reapply pressure on the top four at the expense of their opponent’s aspirations.
These two sides have been very evenly matched in their previous two meetings in 2025/26. Yet the result has remained the same, with Carisbrook delivering in the clutch.
In arguably one of the best matches this season, a magical five-wicket haul from Alex Sutton led Carisbrook to a memorable four-run victory back in round five, despite a sublime 60 from Ahmed Rehman.
In the round eight rematch, it was Brayden Wright who shone with the ball, taking 4/13 to help Carisbrook capitalise on a powerful 62 from Elliot Cullinan and secure the win by 34 runs.
Those two triumphs have been essential to Carisbrook’s finals ambitions, and a third would ensure last season’s runner-up remains in touching distance of the top four.
Meanwhile, a win for Clunes is paramount to their top four chances, currently trailing fourth-placed Beaufort by 18 points.
With the threat of extreme weather rescheduling matches hopefully wavering as summer slowly turns to autumn, strategy will become paramount during the two-day home stretch.
In a competitive two-day losing effort versus Laanecoorie Dunolly, Clunes bowled recruit Ritik Yadav at one end for virtually the entirety of Laane’s run chase, a similar plan that helped Carisbrook reach the Grand Final last season.
Without the services of Yadav, it’ll be intriguing to see how Carisbrook looks to utilise a bowling attack that impressed in last week’s defeat to Colts Phelans.
While established spinners Wright and Dean Nalder combined to take five wickets, young guns Axel Purcell and Cooper Mark were key in containing the Colts after their rapid start, assisted by Mark scoring two breakthroughs.
Consistent bowling will be key for both teams over the next fortnight, especially as their batting lineups have developed into deeper units throughout the season.
A sensational 54 from Dylan Davies against Laane and the consistency of Jude McGuire have eased the weight off Clunes star Mitch Coppick, who leads the team with 323 runs.
As for Carisbrook, Wright and Jordan Hooper remain steady bats alongside their elite trifecta of Cullinan, Nalder and captain William Coutts, while Cole Harris remains one of the most underrated bats in A grade, averaging 29 runs in his last three knocks.