Sport
15 January, 2026
Youngsters in spotlight: Country Week campaigns start
ST ARNAUD and Charlton youngsters have made some impressive contributions in the Wimmera Mallee Cricket Association’s annual country week campaigns that started last week.
ST ARNAUD and Charlton youngsters have made some impressive contributions in the Wimmera Mallee Cricket Association’s annual country week campaigns that started last week.
St Arnaud’s Morgan Greenaway starred for the Under 15s against Hamilton District Greens, taking 2-22 from nine overs and top scoring with 43 of the team’s total of 135 in the match played in Horsham.
Charlton’s Erin Blair claimed 1-3 while teammate Charlie Zagame bowled two tight overs, giving up only seven runs as Hamilton racked up 210 runs.
It was a tough game against South West, which scored 7-348 from 50 overs, with Wimmera Mallee making just 99 in response. Blair impressed with 2-15, while Greenaway took 2-46 and Zagame was third top scorer with 17.
The clash with Horsham was a thriller, with the local side sneaking past Wimmera Mallee’s 7-74 with less than two overs remaining in the T20 match.
The team’s final meeting was with Hamilton District Gold, whose 7-149 proved too much for Wimmera Mallee, which could only manage 7-67, with Zagame’s 17 top scoring.
The Under 17s travelled to Warrnambool, where the cool conditions contrasted dramatically with Horsham’s heat.
The first game saw the team go down to Warrnambool Moyne Gold by an innings and 66 runs.
The Charlton quartet of Leigh Van Boven, Ethan Soulsby, Murphy Fitzpatrick and Mitchell Boyle struggled with the bat along with their teammates, with Wimmera Mallee making only 56 and 35 while the hosts compiled 5-157.
Soulsby and Van Boven held their own with ball in hand, taking 2-23 and 2-50 respectively.
The T20 clash with Colac was a closer affair, with Wimmera Mallee making 7-98 chasing 6-127.
Van Boven and Soulsby each picked up a wicket, while Fitzpatrick and Boyle were both not out in the team’s innings, on 10 and eight respectively.
South West compiled an impressive 1-144, with Boyle claiming the only wicket to fall, overwhelming Wimmera Mallee’s 74 all out.
Van Boven top scored with 18, while Soulsby’s 13 was next best.
Against Portland, Wimmera Mallee was defeated by an innings and 103 runs. Portland compiled 9-210 from 50 overs, with Soulsby, Boyle and Van Boven all taking a wicket.
Wimmera Mallee’s first innings of just 44 was highlighted by a remarkable 9-11 from Portland’s Artie Harvey.
Fitzpatrick was second highest scorer in the second dig with 17 in a total of 63.
The U13 team, with four St Arnaud representatives – Ollie Goode, George Greenaway, Sam Greenaway and Chase Wilson – was playing earlier this week in Portland.
SENIORS RETURN AFTER AUSTRALIA DAY
THE Wimmera Mallee senior competition resumes from the Christmas break on January 31 with three rounds left to play before the finals.
The first round back will see top side Marnoo travelling to play Charlton, St Arnaud on the road to Birchip and Southern Mallee Giants hosting Watchem at Hopetoun.