Cobden back on winners list

COBDEN returned to the winners list in the final round of the Colac-South West premier cricket competition with a two wicket win over Colac on Saturday.

Colac won the toss and elected to bat first in the game shifted to the turf wicket at the Eastern Reserve.

Parker Walsh and Paul Pekin ran through the top order, before Angus Uwland ran out Stallions captain Sam Mulgrew to have Colac in trouble at 5/42.

The home team scraped together partnerships of 36 for the sixth wicket and 54 for the seventh wicket but could only bat for 31.5 overs before being bowled out for 155.

Walsh took the last wicket to finish with 4/30 from 8.5 overs, with Pekin and Matt Harkin taking two wickets each.

Cobden’s reply started poorly, falling to 3/17 then 5/57 before a solid partnership between Uwland and Eddie Walsh took the score to 94 before Uwland was caught for 24 from 30 balls.

Walsh proved to be the match winner, making an unbeaten 70 from 87 balls, with four fours and four sixes, to lead the Knights to victory in the 42nd over for the loss of eight wickets.

The win saw Cobden move up to fifth place on the ladder, with the Knights set to play an elimination final against Alvie at SA Wright Oval on Saturday.

In division two, Cobden finished the season with a strong nine wicket win over Heytesbury-Princetown Purple at Cobden.

The visitors batted first and were dismissed in 23.5 overs for 87 with Simon Murfett, Ash Rosolin and Jia Anderson taking three wickets each.

It took the home team just 13.5 overs to pass the score one wicket down, with Jonty Robertson unbeaten on 30 and Murfett on 18, with Kaplan McCann earlier making 26 from 23 balls.

This week’s semi final sees the division two Knights play Bookaar at the Timboon Recreation Reserve for a place in the grand final.

In division three, Cobden scored an eight wicket win over Camperdown in a high scoring game at the Camperdown number two oval.

The Lakers batted first, scoring 6/240 with Ben Clarke, Ryan Bailey and Peter Merrett taking two wickets each.

A Stephen Benallack ton led the Knights to victory in the 33rd over for the loss of two wickets.

Benallack hit 15 boundaries in his unbeaten 110 from 114 balls, with veteran pair Ricky Bailey and Peter Merrett scoring 55 and 53 not out respectively.

The division three Knights finish the home and away season in fourth place and play the unbeaten Heytesbury-Princetown at Ecklin in this week’s semi final.

In the under 16 grand finaal on Sunday, Cobden had a 45 run loss to Pomborneit at SA Wright Oval.

The junior Bulls won the toss and elected to bat, posting 8/155 from their 35 overs.

Michael Benallack was impressive with the new ball, finishing with 2/15 from five overs, with skipper Eamon Sloane and Jack Couch also taking two wickets each.

Cobden scored at a good rate early until Max Slater was run out for 17, the Knights on 2/32.

Runs became harder to make as regular wickets fell, the team having three more run outs.

Opener Michael Benallack worked hard for his 31 from 102 balls, with Jack Couch the only other player to make double figures as Cobden were bowled out in the 35th over for 110.

The season is also over for the under 13 Knights after losing their semi final to Camperdown on Monday night.

Batting first at the Camperdown number two oval, Cobden made 3/100 from their 24 overs led by 22 retired to Anderson Pekin and 20 retired to Ryan Bailey.

The junior Lakers replied with 5/123 from their 24 overs to book a place in the grand final.

For Cobden, Quinn Pekin, Anderson Pekin, Henry Bourchier and William Pitman took a wicket each in the loss.