Sport
21 November, 2025
Inconsistency continues for Bulls
POMBORNEIT’S inconsistent start to the Colac-South West premier cricket competition has continued, with the Bulls going down to Stoneyford by four wickets at Pomborneit on Saturday.
After strong form in division two and the under 17s, Pomborneit handed a division one debut to Fletcher Tolland who opened the batting.
The match marked the first meeting at senior men’s level between the two clubs since the final season of the Stoneyford Cricket Association in the 1980/81 season.
The home team batted first and slumped to 5/68 before Josh Place and Tharaka Sendanayake rescued the innings.
Place continued his good form, making a hard working 33 from 67 balls, while Sendanayake top scored with 48 from 45 balls, including four boundaries.
Roshen Fernando added some runs down the order with 41 from 53 balls, hitting three sixes as Pomborneit eventually were all out in the 49th over for 193.
“Our score was definitely under par for what’s required in this competition,” Bulls captain Grant Place said.
“Our batting was poor early, we need to get much more out of our top order.”
After Roshen Fernando claimed Stoneyford opener Dale Boyd in the first over, the Rattlesnakes put on 61 for the second wicket.
Leg-spin duo Lahiru Fernando and Josh Reynolds combined to take five wickets to have Stoneyford at 5/110.
Gayan Yakupiti and Lincoln Dare then put on 71 for the sixth wicket to take the game away from Pomborneit.
Stoneyford passed the score in the 43rd over six wickets down.
Lahiru Fernando was the pick of the Bulls bowlers with 3/32 from 10 overs, with Josh Reynolds taking 2/32 from eight.
“In general we bowled pretty well.
“They bat deep and put together a couple of really good partnerships, everything had to go our way if we were to defend 193.”
This week Pomborneit host Cobden at the Pomborneit Recreation Reserve in a rematch of last season’s grand finalists.
In division two, Pomborneit scored a strong 155 run win over Ecklin in a match relocated to Derrinallum with the Ecklin ground still too wet for play.
Batting first, the Bulls made 5/215 from their 40 overs.
Simon Tolland hit well to close out the innings, finishing unbeaten on 88 from 61 balls, hitting 10 fours and two sixes.
Luke Reynolds made 42 from 52 balls, with Ollie Delaney making 25 from 55, his highest score at division two level.
In reply Ecklin was bowled out in the 27th over for 60.
Jonty Raven, in his division two debut, took 3/20 from five overs with the new ball, while Max Rees and Isaac Cootesmith took two wickets each.
Sam Tolland was another player to make his division two debut, taking 1/7 from three overs.
This week the division two Bulls play Heytesbury-Princetown Blue at Timboon.
Division three saw wins to both Pomborneit Gold and Pomborneit Maroon.
Batting first, Gold made 3/172 from 40 overs against Cobden.
In his 400th game for the club, Tony Evans top scored with 56 retired from 115 balls, with Matt Richardson making 47 from 45.
Cobden replied with 7/156, with Tayla Reynolds taking 2/34 from eight overs and senior debutant Ollie West 1/32 from eight.
At South Purrumbete, Maroon scored a seven wicket win over Ecklin.
Batting first, the Frogs were all out for 133, Maroon skipper Donnie McInnes taking 4/16 from 7.5 overs.
Maroon passed Ecklin’s score in the 25th over, with Tim Whitehead making a career best 69 not out from 81 balls with nine boundaries, while Darren Fox was unbeaten on 32.
This week’s division three games see Gold host Woorndoo at South Purrumbete, while Maroon play Camperdown at Camperdown number two.
Rain affected Sunday’s round of matches in the Colac District Cricket Association women’s competition.
Pomborneit Gold was at home to Carlisle River and had made 2/139 from 22.1 overs before heavy rain set in.
Jess Moulden hit six fours on her way to a run a ball 33 retired.
Nellie Sadler made 32 from 37 balls with two boundaries, while Jada Mahony was 28 not out when play was abandoned.
This week the Gold team play second placed Simpson at the Pomborneit Recreation Reserve.
The Maroon team travelled to Apollo Bay and got a full game in, losing to the Sharks by eight wickets.
Maroon batted first, all out for 77 in the 24th over.
Co-captain Janelle Whitehead top scored with 23 from 36 balls.
Apollo Bay passed the score one wicket down and finished on 2/131.
Reagan Webb took 1/3 from two overs, with the other wicket being a run out.
Despite the loss, Maroon will split the points with Apollo Bay as not enough matches were completed in the round.
This week the Maroon team will play Tomahawk Creek at Irrewillipe.
In junior cricket, Pomborneit’s under 17 boys scored a 52 run win over Stoneyford at Pirron Yallock on Tuesday night.
Batting first in wet conditions, the Bulls made 5/130 from their 30 overs.
Jonty Raven top scored with 28 retired from the 30 ball mark, while George Sadler made 20 from 24 balls.
In reply Stoneyford made 9/78 from their 30 overs.
Opening bowlers Max Rees with 1/5 and Levi Cootesmith with 1/7 were impressive in their four over spells with the new ball.
Patrick Spokes took 2/9 from three overs, with Harvey Roberts taking his first wicket for Pomborneit, and under 17 debutant Alex Huggins taking 1/7 from two overs.
In the under 17 girls, Pomborneit had a 65 run loss to Bookaar at Pomborneit on Friday night.
Meg Nolan took 2/19 in Bookaar’s total of 5/105.
In reply, Pomborneit was all out for 40, with Lilli Saarikallio making 12 from 29 balls.
In the under 16 boys on Sunday, Pomborneit registered a 144 run win over Bookaar at Frederick St.
Batting first, Pomborneit made 4/206 from their 35 overs.
George Sadler made 50 retired from 43 balls, while Jonty Raven’s 50 retired came from 53 balls.
Max Rees made 43 from 48, with Ollie West finishing the innings off well with an unbeaten 22.
In reply Bookaar was bowled out for 62, with Max Rees taking 3/9 from five overs and Dermot Conheady 2/5 from four.
In the under 14 boys on Friday night, Pomborneit had a 76 run loss to Stoneyford at Pirron Yallock.
The Bulls made 9/71 batting first, with Bailey Fox making 14 not out and Crawford Dunn 12.
Stoneyford replied with 4/147 with Hamish Christensen taking two wickets.
On Sunday the under 13 girls had a seven run loss to Colac at Pomborneit.
Colac batted first and made 127 from their 20 overs.
Best of the bowlers were Emily Reynolds with 1/6 from three overs, Scarlett Whitehead with 1/6 from two and Matilda Kerr with 1/13 from three.
Pomborneit replied with 127, with Skarlette Wakeling making 16 and Zoe Unwin 10.
The under 13 boys had their scheduled game on Monday night washed out.
This week the under 17s play Irrewarra Red at Pomborneit on Tuesday night, the under 17 girls host Apollo Bay at Pomborneit tonight and the under 16 boys play Heytesbury-Princetown at Timboon on Sunday.
The under 14 boys will play at Apollo Bay tonight, the under 13 boys play Camperdown at Camperdown on Monday while there is no under 13 girls cricket this week.
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