Sport
4 February, 2026
In-form Frogs cause upset
ECKLIN caused a major upset in round 11 of the south west premier competition, with the Frogs defeating second placed Colac by nine runs.
“It was a massive win for us,” Ecklin captain Jamie Dewell said.
“I said to the lads before the game if we are going to make finals this was a game we needed to win.”
Dewell won the toss and elected to bat first on the turf wicket at Port Campbell.
After being reduced to 3/19, the Frogs middle order stepped up.
“At three down early on, we knew we had to dig in for a bit,” Dewell said.
“The wicket was really up and down, so our middle order did a great job.”
Stuart Timms and Dewell put on 87 for the fourth wicket, with solid partnerships continuing thereafter.
“Timmsy at the other end was a real steadying influence.
“I've thrown my wicket away a few times this season, he was great at keeping me in check.”
After 50 overs Ecklin had made 9/258, their highest score of the season.
“The way the pitch was we thought anything over 200 would be a good score so we were ecstatic to make 258.”
Dewell top scored with 64 from 61 balls, hitting 10 fours and a six.
Fellow Englishman Harry Bee made 54 from 51 balls, with three fours and four sixes.
Timms made 37 from 72 balls, with Aaron Harding chiming in with an unbeaten 23 from 18 balls at the end of the innings.
“Harry came out and was seeing them like beach balls; it was an important innings.”
After Colac put on 66 for the first wicket, Dewell ripped through the Stallions line-up, taking five wickets to have Colac at 9/144.
“They got off to a flier, Will Ruddell was hitting the ball very well.
“He holed out to cow corner, his wicket really changed the momentum of the game.”
But just as the game seemed safely in Ecklin’s grasp, a stunning innings from Colac’s Cullan Spence saw the visitors right back in contention.
Spence smashed 101 from 90 balls to get Colac to within nine runs before Adam Korth trapped Lavish in front for 25 to give the Frogs a thrilling win.
“Their last wicket pair batted incredibly well.
“We put down a couple of chances, their hitting was superb but we always knew we only had to take one wicket.”
Dewell finished with 5/35 from 10 overs, with Ollie Guthrie 3/42 from 10.
“It was only Ollie’s second game for the season and first in division one.
“He’s been bowling insanely well in the nets and really nailed it on Saturday when he got his chance.”
The win sees Ecklin narrowly out of the top eight, with a huge match this Saturday against eighth placed Heytesbury-Princetown at Ecklin.
“Now is a good time to come up against them after they’ve been bowled out for 71, we’ll go in as the underdog and they’ll have all the pressure on them.”
In division two, Ecklin had a two wicket win over Heytesbury-Princetown Purple at Timboon.
Purple batted first, posting 7/192 from its 40 overs.
Left armer Anthony Clark was the pick of the Frogs bowlers with 3/27 from eight overs, with Ben Howarth taking 2/32 from six overs.
The Frogs passed the score in the 39th over eight wickets down.
Neil Gowland made 43 from 49 balls, with six boundaries, while Clark was there at the finish, unbeaten on 27 from 45 balls.
This week Ecklin has the bye in division two.
In division three, Ecklin had a six wicket loss to Camperdown at Camperdown.
Batting first, the Frogs could manage just 73, bowled out in 29.5 overs.
Chris Riches was the top scorer with a patient 13 from 50 balls.
Camperdown raced to victory in just 15.1 overs for the loss of four wickets.
Tim Carroll took 3/27 from six overs, with Sam Carroll taking the other wicket.
This week the division three Frogs will host Woorndoo at the Terang number two oval.
Ecklin had the bye in the under 13s this week and will play Bookaar at Frederick St on Monday night.
In the women’s competition last Wednesday, Ecklin lost at home to Cobden Gold.
Batting first, Ecklin made 2/125 from its 25 overs.
Kelly Gowland scored 31 retired from 42 balls, with Rachel O'Keeffe retiring on 30 from 30 balls.
Cobden Gold passed the score in the 18th over, ending on 4/136.
Olivia Coburn took 1/35 from four overs, with the other wicket coming from a run out.
In tonight’s game, Ecklin play Nirranda at Nirranda.