Sport
5 November, 2025
Second win in top grade
COBDEN registered its second win in the Colac-South West premier cricket competition with a 90 run victory at Apollo Bay on Saturday.
Knights skipper Jono Benallack won the toss and elected to bat, with the visitors scoring 6/268 from their 50 overs.
Openers Matthew Boyle and Campbell Walsh put on 60 for the first wicket before Boyle was caught for an aggressive 38 from 28 balls.
“Boyley likes to strike the ball early, it takes the pressure off Campbell who can just go about his own game,” Benallack said.
A 113-run partnership for the second wicket between Walsh and Matthew Kemp set up Cobden’s total.
“It was a really good platform for us to go off.
“Really pleased that we got to the 35th over at 1/173.”
Walsh was dismissed for 69 from 122 balls, with Kemp going on to make 66 from 85 balls, hitting three fours and three sixes.
“Kempy was a bit slow to start but then really got going.
“Having wickets in hand really allowed him to bat freely.”
Some late runs from Parker Walsh (22 not out) and Angus Uwland (29 from 13 balls) pushed the Knights to their strong total.
Parker Walsh removed Apollo Bay opener Nathan Twidell with the first ball of the Sharks innings, before getting Asitha Samarawickrama caught at second slip with the fourth ball of the innings to have the hosts reeling at 2/0.
“Parker put a dampener on their innings and had them on the back foot straight away.
“Noseda and Basford batted well for a while for Apollo Bay, but we were able to bowl to the fields we had set and restrict them.”
Apollo Bay put together a few partnerships before seamer Eddie Walsh and off-spinner Matt Harking combined to take the last seven wickets as the Sharks were dismissed in the 43rd over for 178.
Walsh took 4/18 from eight overs, while Harkin claimed 3/50 from nine overs as Cobden sealed the win.
“It’s great to have Eddie back bowling this year, he’s been working really hard in the nets and really deserved his reward.”
This week Cobden play its first match on turf for the season, lining up against Camperdown at SA Wright Oval.
“Camperdown has already put together a few good scores this season so it should be an interesting game.”
SOUTH WEST CRICKET - WD NEWS DIVISION 2
COBDEN v HEYTESBURY PRINCETOWN
Cobden 7/222 (40) defeated Heytesbury Princetown 10/153 (34.1)
In division two, Cobden had a 69 run win over Heytesbury-Princetown at Camperdown number two.
Openers Matt Clarke (43) and Jack Hutt (40) got the Knights off to a great start, with Lenny Walsh (34) and Darcy Meade (28) contributing to the final total of 7/222.
The Knights struck early via opening bowlers Cooper Beard and Lenny Walsh to have the Storm in early trouble.
The Storm was eventually dismissed in the 35th over for 153, Darcy Meade leading the way with 3/13 from 3.1 overs.
Cobden’s division three team has made it two wins from two with a five wicket win over Boorcan at Boorcan.
The home team batted first, making 6/98.
Teenage off-spinner Eamon Sloane was the best of the Knights bowlers with 3/17 from six overs.
Cobden passed Boorcan’s score in the 26th over for the loss of five wickets, Sloane rounding out a strong game, top scoring with 34 from 59 balls.
In junior cricket, Cobden had a big win over Bookaar in the under 16 game at Frederick St on Sunday.
Bookaar batted first, with the Cobden bowlers running through the Pelicans line-up, dismissing the home team for just 16.
Jack Couch and Rhys Darcy with three wickets each and Max Slater with two were the main destroyers with the ball.
In reply, Cobden batted its 35 overs out, scoring 7/145.
Captain Eamon Sloane top scored with 35, with Josh Roberts making 22 not out and Ben Vogels retiring on 21.
The scheduled under 13 game at Ecklin on Monday night was abandoned.
In this week’s matches the division two Knights play Pomborneit at South Purrumbete, Cobden host Woorndoo at Camperdown number two in division three, the under 16 Knights play Pomborneit at Pomborneit on Sunday while in the under 13s Cobden host Bookaar at Camperdown number two on Monday night.
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