Despite some challenging conditions around the region, junior representatives of the Wangaratta and District Cricket Association continued their Junior Country Week campaign

After commencing the carnival on Sunday with matches against Cricket Albury Wodonga sides, Monday’s games were postponed by an hour to an 11am start, to allow some of the smoke which had settled in around Wangaratta to thin somewhat.

In three of the four divisions WDCA has entered sides into, it was a derby clash, with the under 12, under 13, and under 14 grades, it was WDCA vs WDCA.

The under 12 Gold and Blue sides took to Wareena Park on Monday, with Gold winning the toss and bowling first.

It looked like it was a mistake early, as Blue openers Hunter Harris and George Pfahlert paired up for a 57 run first-wicket stand.

After Harris was removed by Jackson Heatherill for 21 off 41 deliveries, Pfahlert continued on batting with Tyler Mullavey (29 off 51), notching up 52 from 69 balls before retiring.

Thenuk Alwis and Isaac McLarty both departed after making 11, and Rylan Harris would be run out for four, while Beau Sanderson (13* off 26) and Hugo Bott (3* off 10) would finish the innings unbeaten.

WDCA Blue would notch up 5/173 from their 40 overs, courtesy of some 29 extras bowled.

Max Patterson was the pick of the bowlers for WDCA Gold, taking 2/21 from his six overs, including a tricky caught and bowled.

Luke Conway (1/1 off one) and Jaxson Heatherill (1/6 off two) also secured wickets, while Baxter Rourke managed a run out.

In response, WDCA Gold had a tough time with the bat, with only four players making it to double figures.

Opener Edward Clancy top scored with 35 from 52 balls, while Tom Lambert (32* off 38), Lachlan Osborne (31 off 58) and Oliver Ross (14 off 28) played brilliant supporting roles, but there were few other innings of note.

WDCA Blue were dominant with the ball, restricting Gold to 9/158, securing a 15-run win.

Pfahlert backed up his heroics with the bat by taking 3/11 from six overs, with Benjamin Sealey (2/6 off two) and Rylan Harris (2/33 from six) also among the wickets.

In the under 13 derby, WDCA Blue hammered their Gold counterparts by 93 runs, thanks to half centuries to Benji Wollington and Charlie Brown.

Opening the batting after being sent in, Wollington hammered 51 from 71 balls before retiring, with Brown raising the bat after making 50 off 62, batting at four.

Number six batter Alex Hodgson batted well with the tail, unbeaten on 36* off 56 to help Blue to a very competitive 6/197 total.

Tyson Brown (2/11 off four), Louis Horne (2/19 off five), Alex Tekesic (1/13 off three) and Bentley Parker (1/34 off six) all bowled well.

With a massive target ahead of them, WDCA Gold needed a great start, which the Blue bowlers denied them.

Judd Carroll (2/31 off six), Cooper Carroll (1/2 off four) and Eamon Pickering (1/2 off two) reduced Gold to 4/29 in 16 overs.

Despite strong innings from Dylan Dickson (24 off 53), Louis Horne (17 off 63) and Judd Campbell (16 off 18), WDCA Gold were never really in the hunt.

Over at Yarrawonga, the under 14 derby came to a rapid end when WDCA Blue chased down Gold’s total of 5/141 in less than 21 overs for a nine-wicket win.

Gold batters Thomas Snell (33 off 45), Patrick Hunter (26 off 65), and Harry Edwards did the work for their team, but a subpar run rate kept WDCA Blue in the match.

The run chase was anchored by Angus Fraser, who blazed a 40-ball 52 before retiring, leaving Mitch McMasters (27 off 39), Louis Sanderson (37* off 20) and Finn Mitchell (7* off 26) to chase the total down with plenty of time to spare.

With the association only entering the single team into the under 15 division, WDCA took on CAW Stars at Bill O’Callaghan, and absolutely hammered them.

WDCA made 5/169 from their 40 overs, before knocking over CAW for 98 off 32.3 overs.

After winning the toss and batting, WDCA were in trouble early, sitting at 3/37 before a century partnership was forged between Gus Marek (56 off 90) and Luke O’Brien (51* off 58).

The pair took their side from 3/37 to 4/137, saving the innings.

Harrison Skelton (9* off 11) was at the crease with O’Brien at the end of the 40th over, with 31 extras boosting the host team’s total.

The bowling innings was owned by Baxter McLeod, who took an incredible 5/20 from his eight overs, including four maidens with an economy of 2.50.

McLeod dismissed four of CAW’s top six batters, heaving the door open for the rest of the attack to fill their boots.

Tom Osborne took 2/3 off four overs, Lica Solimo snared 1/15 from his five, while Taylor Thomson wrapped it up by taking 1/0 from nine balls.

Junior Country Week matches will resume on Wednesday and Thursday, with the finals set for Sunday, 18 January.