Sport
29 October, 2025
Frogs break drought with upset win
ECKLIN’S cricketers ended a long drought on Saturday with an upset win over Pomborneit in round two of the Colac-South West division one premier competition.
The last time Ecklin defeated the Bulls in a division one match was way back in round one of the 1998/99 season.
Rain intervened in the second innings of the game, with Ecklin declared winners by one run under the Duckworth/Lewis system.
“It had been 27 years since we’d beaten Pomborneit in the top grade, it’s fair to say we really celebrated the win on Saturday night,”Ecklin captain Jamie Dewell said.
Bulls captain Grant Place won the toss and elected to bat in the match played at Pomborneit.
The Bulls rushed to 1/127 in the 19th over before Englishman Harry Bee got the vital wicket of Pomborneit opener Dave Murphy for 80.
“We dropped Murphy early and he really made us pay, he hit the ball well.
“Harry knocking him over was important and led us to slowing the run rate and then taking wickets.”
While Pomborneit batted its full 50 overs, Ecklin took regular wickets and kept the home team to 9/241.
Bee was impressive with 3/33 from 10 overs, while a Frogs debutante also impressed Dewell with the ball.
“Aaron Harding played his first game for Ecklin and took some vital wickets at the end.
“Aaron and another debutant Sohaib Shahid have been really impressive in the nets and deserved their selection.”
Harding, a former Simpson player who has been playing in South Australia in recent years, finished with 4/20 from eight overs, including the key wickets of Grant Place and Tharaka Sendanayake.
Ecklin were in massive trouble early in the run chase, with Roshane Fernando dismissing Henry Carroll and Mark Fraser in the first over to have the Frogs reeling at 2/2.
When Harry Carter was caught on the boundary in the sixth over, Ecklin were 3/25.
Dewell was joined by veteran Stuart Timms at the crease as the pair started to rebuild the Ecklin innings.
“We knew the rain was coming and that we had to get on with it.
“When the rain did come, the match continued.
“Both teams were keen to stay out there and get a result, the rain helped us, their spinners weren’t able to spin the ball in the wet.
“Once we reached the 20 over mark the umpire and captains agreed to end the game, we were thrilled to see we had won once the score was submitted.”
Ecklin finished on 3/97, which was enough to secure a one run Duckworth/Lewis victory.
Dewell finished unbeaten on 52 from 65 balls with five fours, while Timms was 25 not out.
This week’s round three game sees Ecklin host Simpson at Ecklin.
“We’ll be pretty much at full strength and looking for another win.”
The division two Frogs had a tough time of it in their season opener, losing to Heytesbury-Princetown by 155 runs.
The Storm batted first at the Princetown Recreation Reserve, making 5/273 from their 40 overs.
Anthony Clark was the pick of the Ecklin bowlers with 2/31 from six overs.
In reply Ecklin made 7/118 from 40 overs.
Opener Nick Marlow top scored for the Frogs with 55 from 107 balls.
The division three Frogs did not take to the field, with the Ecklin ground declared unplayable.
In other games this week, Ecklin’s division two team host Boorcan at the Terang number two ground, the division three Frogs play Woorndoo at Woorndoo while Ecklin’s under 13s start their season on Monday night with a home game against Cobden.
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