Sport
14 November, 2025
Clunes and Beaufort Red dominate in A reserve
A pair of barely believable bowling performances stole the show in an unforgettable round of the MDCA’s A reserve competition.
Carisbrook 17 def by Clunes 2/19
If there were any concerns surrounding Clunes’ ability to defend their throne as A reserve champions after their loss to Avoca, the Magpies ensured those concerns were emphatically answered, bowling Carisbrook for 17 in a stunning win.
Carisbrook’s 17 is the lowest score in A reserve since MKM bowled Laanecoorie Dunolly out for 12 during round eight of the 2022/23 season.
Five Carisbrook batters were dismissed without troubling the scorers, as Adam Clark and Paul Coon dismantled opposing batters with emphatic precision.
After Clark opened the innings with a first-over wicket, Coon proceeded to have three double-wicket maidens.
He finished with incredible figures of 7/5 from 5.4 overs, while Clark took 3/11 from six overs.
While wickets from Brandon Carter and Brandyn Eagle questioned if Carisbrook’s mission impossible could be accomplished, Killian McDougall hit the winning runs in the 10th over to complete a statement performance.
Laanecoorie Dunolly 30 def by Beaufort Red 5/32
Beaufort Red made the most of friendly bowling conditions at Bryants Oval to earn their first victory of the season by five wickets against Laanecoorie Dunolly.
Rising star Benjamin Grant was a marksman sniping down Laane’s lineup, earning a five-wicket haul while teammate Nicolas Stares took 3/14 from five overs.
Despite his team being bowled out for 30, Brendan Redpath, who top-scored for Laane with eight, was bowling his team back into the match.
Redpath took the first four wickets, with all batters gone for ducks, to have Beaufort Red in a nerve-wracking position at 4/10.
Harrison and Craig Grant ensured one of the greatest come-backs in MDCA A reserve history didn’t occur, finishing unbeaten on 15 and seven respectively to steer Beaufort Red home.
Maryborough 89 def by Avoca 3/90
Avoca’s perfect rebirth to life in senior cricket continued at Jubilee Oval by defeating last season’s minor premiers, Maryborough, in a convincing seven-wicket victory.
After taking seven wickets in Avoca’s season-opening double header last weekend, Glen Cosgriff was at it again for the Bulldogs with two early wickets to have the Owls on the back foot.
Ben Robertson, who’s currently tied alongside Laanecoorie Dunolly’s Steven Dellavedova for the competition’s leading run-scorer, was hitting Maryborough to a defendable total.
Once Tyson Gray got rid of Robertson after he made 51, Avoca made quick work of the rest of the Owls’ order, setting themselves a target of 89 to chase down.
The opening duo of Brad Palmer and James Collicoat got Avoca’s innings to a solid start until a trifecta of wickets from Marybo-rough pair Paul Jardine and Bradley Reeves put the game in the balance.
Nathan Coghlan and Eyan Habib allowed the visitors to recover quickly and move past Maryborough in the standings, with Habib starring with 27 runs from just 28 balls.
Beaufort Blue 6/178 def by Colts Phelans 5/195
With low totals filling scoreboards across the grounds last weekend, Beaufort Blue and Colts Phelans battled in a run-fest, with the travelling Colts coming out on top by 17 runs.
Wayne Stubbings pranced the Colts to a brilliant start, scoring 67 runs before being removed by Ben Woolidge.
Daniel McGregor picked up where Stubbings left off, making an unbeaten half-century as the Colts finished on 5/195.
Adam Miller was the only Beaufort Blue bowler to take multiple wickets, ending with figures of 2/60.
Following his heroics with the willow, McGregor took four of the Colts’ first five wickets to have Beaufort Blue in no-man’s land at 5/58 seemingly.
Clearly, that notion wasn’t explained to Miller, who proceeded to creep his team towards the total with some outstanding shots.
Despite Miller’s best efforts, finishing on 75 not out alongside a valued contribution from Lachlan Lee, Beaufort Blue couldn’t recover from McGregor’s early damage.
Round Five
With the Clunes and Beaufort shows happening this weekend, and Energy Breakthrough sweeping into Maryborough the following week, round five will be played across two weekends.
This Saturday, Beaufort Red will aim to replicate their confidence-boosting win versus Laanecoorie Dunolly against Maryborough, who will hope to rebound from their first loss of the season.
Fresh off the bye last round, top-of-the-table MKM will face their toughest test to date against a Colts Phelans team that has seemingly recaptured their Grand Final form from last season.
Avoca will be keen to see the fellow undefeated team in MKM drop points, looking to move themselves into first after their away trip to the always dangerous Laanecoorie Dunolly.
Clunes and Beaufort Blue will meet at Bull Millgate Oval next weekend to complete the split round.