Sport
4 February, 2026
Knights break through for another win
COBDEN scored its first win since round five in the Colac-South West premier cricket competition, with the Knights having a four wicket victory over Alvie on Saturday.
Alvie skipper Tim McKay won the toss and elected to bat in the first match between the two clubs since Cobden was last part of the Colac District Cricket Association top grade in the 1995/96 season.
The top order got away to a strong start at the Cobden Community Bank Recreation Reserve, reaching 2/158 before Michael Pegg had Liam McGuane stumped for an innings high 61, triggering a collapse.
“Their top four batted really well,” Cobden captain Johno Benallack said.
“It was our slow bowlers who tied them up and brought us back into the game.”
Playing his first top grade match for the season, Pegg took 4/31 from 10 overs, with Simon Murfett taking 3/37 from 9.5 overs as Alvie collapsed to be all out in the 46th over for 196.
“Peggy was massive, he’s a really smart cricketer, he changed his pace really well.
“Murf’s first spell was a little bit all over the place but he came back and bowled really well in his second spell.”
Veteran off-spinner Matthew Harkin also proved economical with 1/34 from 10 overs.
After the early loss of opener Matt Boyle, the home team put together some solid partnerships in the run chase.
Kaplan McCann and Matthew Kemp put together 46 for the second wicket, with Kemp and Benallack combining for a 71 run third wicket partnership.
“Our top four hasn’t done the job in the last five games so we put emphasis on ourselves to get the job done.”
Benallack made an innings high 60 from 84 balls, hitting two fours and four sixes, with Kemp making 44 from 79 balls.
“It was just nice to spend some good time out in the middle, it’s been a very long break from playing.”
The Knights passed Alvie’s score in the 48th over for the loss of six wickets, with Brandon Goodhall unbeaten on 23 and Parker Walsh on 10.
“We had it mostly under control all the way through, though it got a little tight at the end.”
The win sees Cobden go up to sixth place with four rounds remaining.
This week the Knights travel to play Woorndoo at Woorndoo.
“Woorndoo had a good win on the weekend (over City United) so it should be a good game, it’s always an enjoyable trip up there.”
In division two, Cobden had a 25 run loss to Pomborneit at the Timboon High School oval.
Batting first, Pomborneit made 236 from its 40 overs.
Cooper Beard took 2/39, bowling eight overs straight with the new ball, with Ash Rosolin, Ben Clarke and Lenny Walsh all taking two wickets each.
After slumping to 3/15, the Knights recovered through partnerships of 45 for the fourth wicket between Lachy Boyle and Cooper Beard, and 71 for the fifth wicket between Beard and Ash Rosolin.
Rosolin top scored with 45 from 36 balls, with Beard making 34 from 86.
Darcy Meade and Ben Clarke kept the scoring going, with 28 and 25 respectively, but the Knights fell short in the end, all out for 211 in the 39th over.
This week in division two Cobden play Bookaar at Frederick St.
In division three, Cobden lost to Pomborneit Maroon by 135 runs at South Purrumbete.
Maroon batted first, with their total of 7/217 set up by an opening partnership of 108 between Craig Boyd and Jonty Raven, Boyd going on to make 101.
Off-spinner Eamon Sloane was the best of the Cobden bowlers, taking 3/29 from six overs.
In reply, Cobden was all out for just 82 in 23.4 overs.
Opener Stephen Benallack top scored with 24 from 37 balls, while Tarj Anderson was the only other player to make double figures with 13.
This week the division three Knights host Boorcan at the Cobden Recreation Reserve.
In the under 16s on Sunday, Cobden had the narrowest of losses to Pomborneit at Cobden.
The home team batted first, making 7/126 from its 35 overs.
Opener Monty Darcy top scored with 52 retired from 81 balls on a wicket that proved difficult to bat on.
Clem Walsh with 13, Max Slater with 10 and Michael Benallack with 10 were the others to make double figures.
Pomborneit fell to 2/15 before consolidating in an always tight run chase.
The Bulls needed six from the last over, levelling the scores with one ball remaining.
With the field up, the batsmen scampered a single to get the win, the visitors finishing on 5/127.
Max Slater bowled exceptionally well, conceding just five runs from his six overs, with Michael Benallack, Jack Couch, Eamon Sloane and Rhys Darcy taking a wicket each.
This Sunday the under 16 Knights play Heytesbury-Princetown at Cobden.
In the under 13s on Monday night, Cobden was defeated by Bookaar at Frederick St.
Ryan Bailey top scored with 22 from just seven balls in Cobden’s score of 9/98.
Bookaar passed the Knights total in the 17th over for the loss of four wickets.
This Monday night the under 13 Knights play Boorcan at Boorcan.
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