Sport
18 February, 2026
Another ton for Love
HEYTESBURY-PRINCETOWN scored one of their best wins of the season with a five wicket win over Colac on Saturday.
The visitors won the toss and batted first in the round 13 Colac-South West premier cricket match at the Timboon Recreation Reserve, posting 6/251 from their 50 overs.
“Both teams had some key players out, they had some players make some personal best scores” Storm captain Matthew Love said.
“We felt their score was about par, the outfield at Timboon has got a lot quicker in recent weeks.”
Storm strike bowler Matt Price did the early damage, removing star Colac batsmen Will Ruddell and Sam Mulgrew cheaply.
“It was great to get their key batters out early, but they still had some good partnerships.
“It wasn’t our best bowling and fielding display.”
Colac opener Fraser Holt scored 100 from 130 balls, with teenager Archie Walker making 69 from 78.
Price led the Storm’s attack with 3/47 from 10 overs, while Paul Vogels proved economical, conceding 27 runs in 10 overs.
The Heytesbury-Princetown reply got off to bad start, losing Thomas Hunt off the first ball of the innings.
Not for the first time this season, Love and Simon Harkness put together a substantial second wicket partnership.
The pair put on 105 in just 15 overs before Harkness was caught for 34 from 37 balls.
“We knew we had to bat well after losing that early wicket.
“We managed to score at a good rate which gave us some momentum.”
Love continued on, featuring in partnerships of 64 for the third wicket with Travis Brown and 64 for the fifth wicket with Ash Hunt.
“Trav and Ash needed to bat well for the team and themselves, they did a great job.”
Love made his fourth century of the season and passed 700 runs in the process, scoring 144 from 142 balls, 18 fours and two sixes coming off his blade.
The Storm passed the Stallions score in the 48th over for the loss of five wickets.
“It’s always pleasing chasing down a decent score.
“It was a good team batting effort, every time we lost a wicket we re-grouped well, it was a vital win.”
This week the Storm head to Cobden to play the Knights on the Cobden turf.
“We’re looking forward to what is always a real challenge playing against Cobden.
“There’s still so much that can happen across the last two rounds, winning form is important leading into finals.”
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In division two, Storm Purple had the bye, while Storm Blue had an eight wicket loss to Pomborneit at Pomborneit.
Sent into bat, Storm Blue never got their innings going, bowled out for just 84 in the 32nd over.
In all sorts of trouble at 7/45, Nathan Gillingham came out and hit the ball well before skiing a ball to backward square leg, out for an innings high 23 from 32 balls.
Pomborneit were largely untroubled in the run chase, passing the score in the 20th over for the loss of two wickets.
Sam Lenehan was the most impressive bowler for Storm Blue, taking 1/36 from eight overs straight with the new ball.
This week’s division two games see Storm Purple host Ecklin at the Timboon Recreation Reserve, while Storm Blue has the bye.
In division three, the undefeated Heytesbury-Princetown had a dominant nine wicket win over Boorcan at Princetown.
The visitors batted first and were rolled for just 58 in 32.1 overs.
Evergreen seamer Leigh Doak took 4/11 from eight overs, with Scott Thompson and Daniel Balcombe taking two wickets each.
It took the Storm batsmen just 8.2 overs to pass the score, losing one wicket.
This week the division three Storm play Woorndoo at Woorndoo.
On Sunday the Storm's under 16 team had a 177 run loss at Timboon against Pomborneit.
The visitors batted first, posting 3/228 from their 35 overs.
Dane Nicholls led the Storm bowling with 2/6 from three overs.
The Storm were bowled out in the 27th over of the run chase for 51.
Alby Jones was the only player to make double figures with 10 from 34 balls.
This Sunday the under 16 Storm play their last game of the season against Bookaar at Frederick St.
In the under 13s on Monday night, Heytesbury-Princetown had a 37 run loss to Cobden at the Camperdown number two oval.
Cobden batted first and made 3/116, with Fletcher Hickey and Olly Dickinson taking a wicket each.
The Storm replied with 5/79, Fletcher Hickey top scoring with 13.
This Monday the Storm’s under 13 team plays their final game of the season against Ecklin at Timboon.
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