OVER the recent months the region has been strongly represented by a range of under age teams at various cricket tournaments across South Australia and Victoria.
The Mount Gambier and District Cricket Association has sent off a total of six teams to unique competitions, with two more to be selected later in the month.
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN STATE WIDE COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
IN early January the South East was represented by two sides at the South Australian state wide country championships played in the Barossa Valley.
The Under 12 side coached by Jonathan Allcock and co-captained by Angus Clarke and Robbie Case won the championships for the first time, remarkably just two years after the South East was reinstated into the competition.
The team defeated Barrossa and Light in a tense opening fixture by just one wicket led by Gibson’s 38 not out.
A pair of strong bowling performances secured two far more comfortable victories against Murray Districts and Upper North and booked a place in the grand final to meet an undefeated Eyre Peninsula.
The South East side batted first and was on the ropes at 6/20 before a brilliant 88-run partnership between Jayden Prior (38 not out) and Riley Lawrence (37 not out) pushed the total up to a competitive 8/114.
Eyre Peninsula appeared comfortable at 2/51 before a double strike from spinner Raj Panday broke the game open.
Up against an unforgiving bowling and fielding display, the remaining opposition batsmen could not recover and were restricted to 6/100 from their allotted overs, which saw the South East crowned as champions for the first time.
The Under 14 South East side also enjoyed a successful carnival as they reached the grand final of the competition.
Led by captain Hamish Case and coached by Sam Willis, the team charged through the minor rounds undefeated against Barossa and Light, Murray Districts and Upper North.
Highlights included Bodey Hosking’s half century to chase down a formidable target of 152 against Barossa and Light and a 46 from Case to lead the pursuit of 146 in another run chase.
Unfortunately, in the grand final against Fleurieu and Districts the South East batting line-up struggled, bowled out for just 88.
Despite four wickets from Hosking, Fleurieu and Districts’ batters cruised to win by five wickets.
Hosking was named player of the carnival after he claimed the equal most wickets of the tournament with his leg spin, while Weber was awarded as the carnival’s best fielder.
Thanks to their performances Hosking, Weber, Case, Corey Baker and Luke Homen were selected in a Country Black representative side to play in a super league carnival at Adelaide in March.
FIVE DAY HORSHAM CRICKET CARNIVAL
DURING the same weekend, the Mount Gambier and District Cricket Association sent an Under 15 team to play a five-day cricket carnival at Horsham.
The side coached by Darren Sims proved to be a strong unit after it overcame Wimmera, Colac, Horsham and Warrnambool to secure a place in the grand final.
The South East team was defeated by a superior Warrnambool 11 in the decider, but the loss did not take the shine off an excellent five days, which included many highlights such as Jed Matthews scoring his maiden century.
PORTLAND UNDER 13 CARNIVAL
MOST recently Mount Gambier was represented by two separate teams at the Portland Under 13 cricket carnival.
Coached by Jason Shanks, the Mount Gambier Green side competed well to win three of its four minor round games to reach the semi finals.
Unfortunately, it lost the semi-final to Warrnambool Gold to finish a respectable third.
Steve Vause coached the Mount Gambier Blue side which battled its way to finish sixth in the standings with two wins and two losses.
However, the side managed to end the carnival on a high with a victory in a consolation final against South West number two.
STATE COUNTRY CRICKET CHAMPIONSHIPS
BACK in December the region was represented by an Under 16 South East side which played in the state country cricket championships at the Barossa Valley.
The team, coached by George Kidman, experienced mixed results across the four days to finish fifth in a competitive tournament.
Thanks to their impressive form shown during the championship, Connor Prior and Campbell Watts were both selected in the Under 16 South Australian country cricket competition.
Wrapping up the representative cricket, the Burdon (Under 15) and Kerr (Under 13) Shields are currently being played, with Mount Gambier and District up against the likes of Tatiara, Millicent and Naracoorte.
TEAMS
UNDER 12 South Australian state wide country championships
Angus Clarke (s), Robbie Case (s), Darcy Twigdon, Noah Maxwell, Jace Maxwell, Jayden Prior, Riley Lawrence , Harry Hosking, Ned Skeer, Elwood Geary, Kobe Gibson, Raj Pandey, Jon Allcock (coach), Tracy Lawrence (manager).
UNDER 13 GREEN Portland Under 13 carnival
Sam Domaschenz, Zac Shanks, Charlie Lockwood, Elwood Geary, Noah Maxwell, Jace Maxwell, Jacob Salmon, Jaydon Prior, Brodie Pfitzner, Jack Leishman, Archer Virtenan, Noah Virtenan,
Jason Shanks (coach).
UNDER 13 BLUE Portland Under 13 carnival
Riley Lawernce, Jack Lawerence, Angus Clarke, Blake Vause, Orlando Vause, Luke Richards, Raj Pandey, Robbie Case, Harry Hicks, Ollie Fitzgerald, Ashton Lindner, Steve Vause (coach).
UNDER 14 South Australian state wide country championships
Hamish Case (s), Kaidyn Weber, Bodey Hosking, Harry Fisher, Corey Baker, Luke Watson, Tom Smith, Jed Sims, Luke Homan, Jaden Ward, Jared Kuhl, Mitchell Cornolo, Sam Willis (coach), Michelle Kuhl (manager).
UNDER 15 Five day Horsham cricket carnival
Riley Flamank, Noah Sims, Ethan Sims, Liam Turley, Jed Matthews, Ryan Kuhl, Jack Domanashenz, Mitchell Little, Fraser Moore, Isaac Mulraney, Lachie Buckley, Darren Sims (coach).
UNDER 16 State country cricket championships
Campbell Watts, Ryan Juhl, Sam O’Donnell, Conner Prior, Alex Hill, Elliot Fisher, Jed Matthews, Zach Clarke, Jack Tapfield, Jack Harding, Josh Cornolo, Wil Wiseman, George Kidman (coach).
