Magpies fall to Beechy, Tigers and Lakers bank wins

Wangaratta will need to reassess their bowling execution after failing to defend 223 at home on Saturday against Beechworth. Batting first, opener Jimmy Thewlis was hammering them to all parts, doing the bulk of the scoring in his 89-run stand with Connor Dennis. After Dennis (14 from 63) and Zach Wallace (three ball duck) fell, the rapid-fire Cal Honey joined Thewlis in the middle, and the pair set out to score at pace. The partnership put on 96 runs in 17 overs, bringing the Magpies from 2/89 to 3/185 with eight overs remaining, undone when Honey hit one down long off’s throat for a run-a-ball 56. Thewlis was the next to go, bowled playing across the line to one which kept low from Jon Carson, dismissed for a fine 98 off 105. The rest of the Magpies cobbled together enough runs to see the total past 200, with 223 on the board and a strong total to defend. Carson was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 2/31 from his nine, while Archer Warner (2/30 off six) and Matt Ryan (1/44 from seven) were effective but expensive. The chase was on for the Wanderers, but they struggled to make inroads into the total until brothers Brenton and Kayde Surrey came together at the crease with Beechworth at 2/29. Together, Brenton (24 off 35) and Kayde (75* off 87) would guide the Wanderers to a strong start, before Taylor Thomson (43 off 29) came in down the order to finish off the chase. In other matches, Ovens Valley United romped to a six-wicket win over Benalla Bushrangers with more than eight overs in hand. Batting first, the Bushies posted 6/176 from their 45 overs, with last week’s centurion and opener Jonty Priest continuing his fine form with a handy 53 from 66, while middle order bat Vaughn Kirk made an unbeaten 56* from 58. While there were definite contributions from the other willow wielders, the Tigers did exceptionally well with ball in hand to contain their opponents. While opening bowler Joe Monk’s radar was a bit off, going for 33 runs from his five overs, the rest of the attack were keeping it tight. Geeth Alwis (2/25 from nine), James Neary (1/28 from eight) and Chris Egan (1/31 from nine) kept the pressure on, and the total to a chaseable target. Early wickets so often can spell disaster for a chase, and it seemed like it was the case again when Tigers opener Tom Chettleburgh was trapped in front with the score on 13. Ovens Valley were desperate for a solid partnership as they limped to 4/65, but when Riley Forde joined Alwis in the middle, the pair went big. Both batters would record unbeaten half centuries, forging a 113-run partnership to see them soar past the target in the 38th over. Tom O’Donnell (1/25 from nine) and Ross Cavill (1/9 from five) were the pick of the bowlers, but the rest of the attack was simply too expensive, going at more than five runs an over. Elsewhere, Yarrawonga came home from the longest trip in A grade cricket with a resounding 71-run win over Delatite Devils at Mansfield’s Lords Reserve. Batting first on a tricky wicket, the Lakers posted 132 all out, before rolling the Devils for 61 in 27.3 overs. The visitors’ innings was anchored by allrounder Devlin Webb’s 41 from 39 balls, who took the Lakers from 2/7 to 3/61, and allowed the rest of the middle order to work into the game. Valuable contributions also came from Zac Fraser (20 off 18) and Taj Parker (15* off 40). New ball pair Cooper Martin (3/14) and Sam Bell (3/32) had immediate impact, while Nathan Goodes bowled an economical 2/18. With a lower score to defend than they’d be used to, the Lakers’ bowlers were on the money early, with Webb (3/14) and Angus Heslin (2/19) ripping the heart out of the chase in the early stages. Adam Storer top scored for the Devils with 14 batting at four, with no other batter making double figures.

Magpies fall to Beechy, Tigers and Lakers bank wins

Wangaratta Chronicle, Friday, 23 October, 2026

North East Knights name their Country Cup squads

Partnership forged by timber

Research hope

Most popular stories

Wangaratta Chronicle, Friday, 23 October, 2026

North East Knights name their Country Cup squads

Partnership forged by timber

Research hope