Western Park has provided a stern reminder of its class while Iona secured its first win of the season in the last game of the year before a three week break for the festive season.
Round 9 of the Warragul and District Cricket Association was full of storylines; chiefly, reigning premier Western Park consigning Catani to its first loss of the season with a bowling performance to behold.
After posting a competitive but not dominant 7/146, the hosts bowled the Cats out for just 42, with four bowlers taking multiple wickets in the demolition job.
Ellis Whiteford finished with the best figures, 3 /4, but it was Kade Burns and Jack Walsh who claimed the top-order wickets to put Western Park on top.
Captain Sam Batson also took two wickets.
It’s a massive turnaround from the Round 5 clash between the teams, when Western Park’s 134 looked on track to be comfortably chased down, Catani 0/51 at stumps before rain prevented play on Day 2.
The result puts Western Park on top of the table, equal on points with Catani, with a sizeable gap between that pair and Drouin and Trafalgar, which currently occupy third and fourth spot on the table.
After a slow start to the season, Drouin is now well ensconced in the top four, following victory over fellow top four challenger Longwarry.
The Hawks bowled Longwarry out for just 104, Simon Gardiner leading the attack with 3/27 including the big wicket of Yashan Samrasinghe, before Drouin chased it down with seven wickets in hand.
At Hallora, Iona put together its most complete performance of the season to wrap up a three wicket victory.
Most pleasingly, it was done without significant contribution from star all rounder Carter Davis, who has carried a heavy load in the Swamp Tigers’ underwhelming 2025/26 season.
Davis took just one wicket and scored five runs, with Liam Lenders and Matthew Campbell leading the way with bat and ball as the hosts chased down 9/167.
Lenders took 2/18 including Hallora skipper Brett Williams, before guiding his side home with an unbeaten 57 off 65.
Lenders has previously scored big centuries for Iona in Division 2, and has looked threatening in Division 1 across the past two seasons, without transferring his form from previous years so will take great confidence from the innings.
Campbell, meanwhile, took 3/35 and scored 38 off 40 from number eight, his 69-run partnership with Lenders putting the team on the cusp of victory.
Ellinbank defeated Trafalgar by 38 runs in the other game to keep themselves in touch with the top 4.
In Division 2, Warragul moved to within three points of top-of-the-table Garfield-Tynong.
Eddie McGillivray scored 56 off 63 to help Warragul chase down 7/155 after Brandon Interlandi’s 3/24 did the damage with the ball, claiming both Western Park openers just as they were looking dangerous.
There was no play in Garfield-Tynong’s match against Buln Buln, while Yarragon got up against Hallora’s Second XI.
Division 1 Ladder: Western Park 45, Catani 45, Drouin 31, Trafalgar 30, Ellinbank 24, Longwarry 24, Hallora 12, Iona 9
Division 2 Ladder: Garfield-Tynong 39, Warragul 36, Western Park 33, Drouin 33, Buln Buln 30, Yarragon 27, Hallora 18
