Corowa’s C Grade Division 2 team and its Under 16s side are the cricket premiers for season 2024/25.
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The emphatic wins were set up with excellent first innings’ performances. C Grade posted an imposing 6/276 - helped by Billy Raggett’s 67, Doug Lavis making 66 and an unbeaten 81 by Nathan Rhodes.
An opening stand of 98 by Joe Lavis and Jack Torney set up the Under 16’s terrific total of 188, with Joe playing a match-defining innings of 118 not-out.
C Grade Div 2’s big score sets up dominate win
Corowa travelled to Xavier to play St Pats for the final on a hot Saturday afternoon where Corowa won the toss and elected to bat with the Raggett brothers opening up in the big game.
Lachie was the first wicket to fall after mistiming his shot to be caught for 11 with the score on 13.
This would see Mick Drew enter the game and along with Billy, the boys dug their heels in and kept the run rate at a steady pace before Drew was out for 16 with the score on 45.
Nathan Rhodes and Raggett then steadied the ship for Corowa with some great running between the wickets in their 112-run partnership, before Raggett would depart for a well-made 67 off 75 balls.
Captain Sam Burdon departed quickly and when Jordan Wilson was out for 15, the score was 5/192.
Corowa still needed more runs. Enter Doug Lavis, after only batting three times this season Lavis saved his best innings for the game that mattered most, blasting a match winning knock of 66 from just 28 balls which included six boundaries and five massive sixes.
Corowa finished on 6/276 with Pat Mitchell 3* and Nathan Rhodes 81* (off 81 balls) being the not out batsmen at the end of the innings.
Defending 276, the Corowa bowlers got to work with Jordan Wilson being the first to strike assisted by Eli Lavis who took a cracking catch to have St Pats 1/8.
This would see the reliable pair of Lethbridge and Brockwell at the crease for St Pats and the Corowa team worked tirelessly to break this partnership.
Young gun Eli Lavis broke through with the wicket of Brockwell, with the score on 76.
Sam Burdon then snared the big wicket of Lethbridge for 49 and Corowa was starting to get on top with some tight bowling and some good field placements, making it difficult for the St Pats team to score quickly.
Burdon would then get his second wicket, having Mona caught by Billy Raggett and when Lloyd Grantham captured the final wicket with the last ball of the game, this would see the Corowa team win the premiership for the 2024/25 summer with Nathan Rhodes being named man of the match.
Under 16s claim dominate all-round win
Last Wednesday night the Under 16 grand final was underway and Corowa was sent into bat against East Albury.
Opening batters Joe Lavis and Jack Torney settled the nerves early as they saw out the first few overs.
The runs began to flow as Joe Lavis played some great strokes, putting the bowlers under pressure.
The opening pair gritted their teeth to see out the new ball. Joe began to score fluently as the scoreboard showed 0/60 after 15 overs.
The openers ran hard and made the fielders work hard. Joe Lavis reached his half century before drinks as Corowa were 0/76 at the halfway mark.
Soon after drinks Jack Torney was unfortunately run out for 27 and he and Joe combined for a thrilling 98 run opening stand.
Two quick wickets followed as Austin Ross-Anderson (4) and Levi Phibbs (0) tried to get the scoreboard moving fast.
Eli Lavis then joined Joe, and he pair went to work, and the scoring began to flow.
Joe Lavis began to hit them everywhere playing risk free cricket and eventually brought up his 100 in what was one of the greatest innings seen at Ball Park for some time. He put Corowa in a great position.
Joe then got stuck into it again soon after, smashing a six clearing the fence.
Eli then departed for a well-made 20 and Corowa were 4/150 after 35 overs.
Archie Bedford failed to score trying to score big while Toby Hanrahan and Joe finished off the work as Toby finished on 10 run out in the last over and Joe finished on 118 not out in what was to be a match defining innings.
Corowa finished on 188. A great batting display for the boys.
On Friday night Corowa was given the task of defending 188. Joe and Jack Torney took the new ball before Joe Lavis struck, dismantling the stumps for the first break through.
Toby Hanrahan and Eli Lavis then were handed the ball as it didn’t take them long to both claim a wicket as the two key batsmen for East Albury were dismissed.
Toby hit the woodworks and Jacob Wilson gifted Eli his wicket with a sharp catch. East Albury were 3/27 after 10 overs.
Soon after Eli claimed another wicket, an lbw and East were in trouble as they fell to 4/31.
The scoreboard then ticked along as the East Albury batsmen fought it out. East Albury were 4/66 at the 20 over mark. Harry Norman then struck after drinks as Cohen Wilcox took a great catch at mid-off.
Not too long after Jacob Wilson popped up to claim a great run out changing the game for Corowa. East fell to 6/85. With 10 overs to go East Albury needed 88 from 10 overs.
Eli Lavis then stood tall rattling the stumps to claim another wicket. East Albury struggled to score large as Corowa bowled terrifically at the pointy end of the innings.
Levi Phibbs then flexed his muscles to claim two wickets at the end and Joe Lavis finished off the work claiming one more wicket.
East Albury were bowled out for 142 with one ball to spare and Corowa claimed back-to-back premierships.
Joe Lavis finished 2/20 from 5.5 overs, Eli Lavis 3/15 from six overs, Levi Phibbs 2/19 from six and Toby Hanrahan and Harry Norman both claimed one each. Everyone stepped up when needed and everyone bowled awesome. An all-round effort for the boys.
The under 16s would like to thank everyone who came down to support them. As there was a great crowd down at Ball Park where Joe Lavis claimed best on ground.
A great year capped off with a premiership for the 16s as they have claimed another successive title. Well done to all involved.
Under 12s Div 2 finish runners up
The grand final was here and the Under 12 Div 2 boys were so excited.
Captain Jobe Ollington won the toss and decided to have a bat. Jack Nixon and Zach Playford opened the batting and did a great job once again as they have all finals. Jack finished on 5* and Zach 11*.
To the crease came Jobe and Billy Hunter who have both also batted very well all year.
Baranduda's bowling was top class, and the boys were finishing it hard to get them away.
Jobe and Billy both finished on 12* Kobe Raggett also batted well for his 11*.
Harry Closter and Mauritz Moolman came to the crease and put on a great partnership Harry top scoring on 16* smashing two fours and finding the gaps in the field with some really good cricket shots and Mauritz batted well making 15* smashing three boundaries.
Corowa set Baranduda a competitive 103, but it was always going to be a tough task in the field.
The Baranduda openers came out and played some really good shots putting on a partnership of nearly 50.
Baranduda batted well and passed Corowa’s score in the 12th over.
The boys bowled well; it just was not their day. Mauritz claimed 2/11 and Max Sampson also 2/14.
Thank you to all the parents who helped out at any time through the year and thanks to Bear Closter, Wes Amor and Ed Nixon for scoring most weeks.
The future of Corowa cricket is very bright, and it will be interesting to see how these boys progress through their careers. The coach has found it a pleasure coaching this group of boys.
The club’s presentation day is this Sunday, March 23 at the Ball Park clubrooms with the juniors starting from 2pm.
Thank you to the sponsors
The Corowa Cricket Club would like to acknowledge our sponsors for this season, A & A Auto, Davidson White Accountants, John Rhodes Bricklaying, Waldrons Fresh on River, Kilara Group, Rivalea, Terry White Chemist, O’Connors, Balldale Hotel, Federation Steel, Collins Transport, BJ Hanrahan Family Trust, Thrifty, Corowa Furnishing and Floors, Wiesners, VK Logic, Wodonga Pneumatics, Back on Track Physiotherapy, Corowa Curtain & Decor, Corowa Meats, TH Kitchens Joinery, KB Wilson Seeds & Corowa RSL Club.
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