Long shot, but a chance

Wangaratta Magpies can still make next week’s A grade T20 grand final – they just need quite literally everything to go their way on Saturday. The ‘Pies sit third on the ladder with one match to go, equal on points with second-placed Rovers United Bruck, with ladder leaders Yarrawonga Mulwala a game ahead and already qualified for the decider. If the Magpies are to make the title match, they not only need to beat Ovens Valley United this weekend – not an easy feat in itself – but they also need rivals Rovers to choke and lose against Benalla Bushrangers. It’s far from the ideal position, but it’s one which keeps their season alive. Skipper Cooper Matheson acknowledged their backs were against the wall, but praised his team’s efforts throughout the short T20 competition. “We need to win and Rovers need to lose, so there’s a fair bit on it [this game],” he said. “We’d really like to make it to the last week of the year, that was our plan at the start of the T20s. “We dropped the Yarra game which we probably shouldn’t have, it took a pretty poor effort in our last six overs to lose that, they needed 60 off six. “Other than that, we’ve played pretty well – we’ve batted well every game, we’ve bowled well and our fielding has gone up another level in these T20s, and that’s what we were lacking towards the end of the year with the one-day stuff. “It’s been good to be able to rectify that and start putting in good fielding efforts.” The bowling attack will be vital in controlling the flow of this weekend’s game, with Matheson confirming Fraser Ellis would be available for selection, his pace bowling and batting nous healthy additions to the team when they most need it. “We should have pretty much the full side to pick from this week, and adding Frase in is huge,” Matheson said. “Having Clemmo [Chris Clement] back in the T20s is good, he missed Beechy and Benalla, but having him back is good – it just takes the pressure off other bowlers and gives us another option. “In T20s, batters do like pace on a lot more, but we still have Stebba [Nick Stebnyckyj], Presti [Matt Prestianni] and Jimmy Thewlis as well as [pace off] bowling options. “A few boys have missed out with the ball which is just T20 cricket, especially when we have eight bowling options and we only need five of them. “It’s good in that sense that you can throw the ball around if someone’s not working. “I feel like we’ve got the depth there to handle whatever situation we need.” The Tigers’ season is effectively over, unable to climb high enough on the ladder to make finals from their last game, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be pushovers. Their top order is potent, with the three opening options they’ve played so far – Seamus Phillips, Conner Forde and Daniel Saville – have all recorded half centuries, while the talismanic Geeth Alwis is a constant threat to all bowling attacks. Matheson said the Magpies would be implementing strategies of their own to try and nullify the impact Ovens Valley’s key players have on the match. “They’re pretty handy with the bat, they’ve got a few boys who can score rather quickly,” he said. “It’s the same that we go in with every week, we set plans for the batters – if you have Geeth [Alwis] at one end, you just try and starve him as much as you can in a T20. “Whatever batter is scoring freely, just try and starve them, so when they go back on strike, the pressure’s on them and hopefully they erupt and get themselves out. “They’re pretty handy with the ball as well so I think it will be a very good game.” The Magpies’ last chance match against Ovens Valley United is slated for a 12.30pm start at Norm Minns Oval, before an under 12s derby match between the club’s U12 White and U12 Black sides from 6pm.

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Wangaratta Chronicle, Friday, 18 September, 2026

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Wangaratta Chronicle, Friday, 18 September, 2026