Sport
6 February, 2026
Renewed Bulls readies for visit to Colts country
Fresh off their biggest win of the season last weekend, Beaufort looks to further impose themselves inside the top four when they travel to Hedges Oval to take on the reigning premiers.
To say the Bulls needed their round 12 victory over Maryborough would be an understatement, as it snapped a three-game losing skid and added fortification to a finals place that was slipping from their grasp.
For a team that has showcased untapped potential throughout the season, it all finally clicked for the Bulls last Saturday, with many key players stepping up in their darkest hour.
At the top of the order, Jarrod Blandford maintained his form as arguably the most dangerous batsman in the competition, sharing equity in an 82-run partnership with a renewed Kriss Ellis.
Following a middle-order collapse, Charlie Dyer and Nick Stabbins emerged at the death to propel Beaufort to 192, their third-highest score of the season.
As the Owls began to close in on their objective, Lachlan Oddie and Brandon Walsh masterfully spun the game back in Beaufort’s favour, taking seven of Maryborough’s last nine wickets.
After taking four wickets at Mount Clear last season, Walsh leads the A grade wicket-taking charts with an eye-popping 25 breakthroughs, taking three wickets or more in six matches.
With Clunes and Carisbrook playing each other in round 13, Beaufort would like to take advantage of their finals challengers squabbling against a team they have struggled to compete against this season.
The Colts opened their premier-ship defence with a bang, dominating the Bulls by 104 runs courtesy of a 54-ball 67 from Rhys Egan and a three-wicket haul from Josh Collinson.
Egan has emulated his late-season heroics in 2024/25 with an impressive campaign while constantly shifting around the order, blasting 208 runs.
Collinson also starred when the two teams met again in round 10, scoring an unbeaten 35 to prevent a Colts collapse alongside Ben Evans, who helped bowl Beaufort for 94 with figures of 4/30.
After being primarily used as an elite spinner during his return to the club last season, Evans has suddenly blossomed as an elite all-rounder, boosting his average from 11.7 to a valuable 30.25.
Evans’ emergence has provided another dangerous weapon to a deep Colts batting lineup, which has caused some players like Luke Tatchell to fly under the radar.
Slated as the team’s lower order finisher when required, Tatchell has been the Colts’ saviour on numerous occasions, hitting his team to victory over Maryborough in round seven before adding a valuable 18 versus Carisbrook last weekend.
Tatchell also has the unique distinction of being the only batsman in the competition’s top 50 run-scorers never to have been given out, finishing unbeaten in all three of his batting appearances.