Sport
27 February, 2026
Reigning premiers continue late-season momentum
Defending Bendigo Bank ABC Shield cricket premiers Biddon-Tooraweenah have continued their late-season momentum, securing a crucial win against Curban to sneak into second place on run-quotient.
Dunedoo and Gidgee also scored important wins, while another side in finals contention, the Warren-based USC-Marthaguy, picked up five vital competition points when its match against ladder-leaders Gular was washed-out.
While Gular (83 points) cannot be removed from top spot, the battle between Biddon-Tooraweenah and Curban (both 67) to see who plays them in the major semi-final is still on, as is the race for the fourth and final play-offs spot with Dunedoo (63), Gidgee (62) and USC-Marthaguy (60) all still in contention.
Biddon-Tooraweenah’s 1.231 run-quotient has them ahead of Curban (0.952).
Three matches out of four in round 14 of the 2025/2026 Gilgandra District Cricket Association season will have bearing on the final standings, with multiple scenarios in play dependent on match outcomes.
Steady chase from BT gets them home
Paul Lambell’s second successive unbeaten half-century steered Biddon-Tooraweenah (4-154 off 39.1 overs) to a crucial six-wicket win against Curban (9-152 off 40 overs) at McGrane Oval, Gilgandra on Saturday, February 21.
It was a much closer match than first glance indicates.
Curban did everything correctly when it won the toss, batted, and then worked its way out of a horror start to post a decent score.
From 3-9, Andrew Peart (55) blasted Curban back into the contest, sharing a 72-run fourth-wicket partnership in quick time with Stu Younghusband (17).
The second rescue mission came when Luke Haling (27 not out) and Luke Jenkin (28) propelled Curban from 7-95 in the 27th over with a timely 55-run, 13-over partnership.
Biddon-Tooraweenah’s bowling attack was disciplined
Clint Walker (4-17 off seven overs) was the stand out, and he also grabbed a couple of catches in a great display, while Bailey Wykes (1-16 off six overs), James Best (3-34 off eight overs) and Jeremy Cosier (1-29 off eight overs) also claimed wickets.
In reply, started steadily, being 2-31 after 20 overs.
Jaimie Zell (11) and Luke Ferguson (10) took the shine off the new ball before David Neeves (18) began to boost the run-rate in partnership with Lambell (70 not out).
Lambell and Neeves added 57 runs for the fourth wicket, before Lambell and Bevan Peart (30 not out) remained unbeaten, compiling a rapid 79 runs in 11 overs unbroken to seal a tense win.
Lambell hit four sixes on McGrane Oval in his destructive 19-over stay at the crease, Biddon-Tooraweenah winning with five balls left in the contest.
Curban’s first four bowlers used were all economical.
Greg Younghusband (1-21 off eight overs), skipper Scott Chandler (0-13 off seven overs), Anthony Barry (1-22 off eight overs) and Marshall Parker (1-12 off five overs) kept Curban in the contest before the Lambell fireworks.
Dunedoo keeps finals hopes alive after masterful effort with ball
Dunedoo’s top-order did enough to hold off Coonabarabran by 80 runs in a low-scoring contest at No.3 Oval, Coonabarabran on Saturday, February 21, with a match-winning Nathan Duce double deciding the match.
After being sent in by the hosts, Dunedoo posted 129 thanks to 43 from Duce and it proved enough comfortably as Coonabarabran was routed for 49 inside 18 overs, mainly due to Duce’s 4-24.
Duce was assisted by four other players making double figures. Duce and Jacob Besgrove (16) added 47 runs for the second wicket. Outside of that, Shaun Coe’s 19 was also important as two other players (Nathan James and Rick Henderson) both made 11
Coonabarabran’s bowling attack was good and exploited home conditions.
The highlight was Hudson Jenner (1-0) getting a wicket with his first ball in senior cricket.
Earlier, Anthony Harris (2-19) and David Osmond (1-26) were both good in eight-over efforts while Ben Hjort (3-6 off two overs), Jericho Chatfield (1-13 off five overs) and skipper Lockie Hadfield (1-5 off four overs) all did well.
Unfortunately, Coonabarabran’s batting crumbled in reply.
Only Jericho Chatfield (14 not out) and Steven Hallett (13) had any impact.
Duce (4-24) and James (2-17) simply ripped through the hosts and Robbie Johnstone-Greaves (1-6) finished things off.
It was a crucial win for Dunedoo, who will definitely play finals if they can beat Curban at home in the final round.
Stewart century steers Gidgee to big win
Mark Stewart hit 11 runs from the first three balls of the match against Town Services and went on to score 105 in just 20 overs as Gidgee posted a massive 4-258 off 40 overs.
Stewart plundered five sixes and 11 fours in a blazing century that steered Gidgee to a mammoth 205-run win at Coonamble Sportsground on Saturday, February 21.
He was remarkably the first Gidgee player dismissed after sharing a138-run first-wicket stand with Blaike Fernando (35).
Fernando played his role beautifully and once he was dismissed at 2-146 Mitch Nalder (70 not out) steered Gidgee to a great score.
Bowling was tough work for the entire Town attack.
Mark Temple (0-37 off eight overs) did well to peg things back after Stewart attacked him early, while Dustin Foran (2-47 off eight overs) claimed the most wickets.
Zach Jackson (1-31) and Ashley Hazelton (1-28) were also solid in five-over efforts, as was Kaleb Sutherland (0-16 off four overs).
In reply, Town was routed for just 53 in just 18.4 overs
Justin Fernando (3-18) and Jarrod Page (2-5) were the chief destroyers while Elvy McEwen (1-16), Jarrod Rae (1-6), Joe Keady (1-7) and Matthew Fernando (1-1) all supported well.
Ashley Hazelton’s 22 was the only double figure score for Town Services.
Unofficial Gilgandra District Cricket Association table after round 13: Gular 83 (10 wins), Biddon-Tooraweenah 67 (seven wins), Curban 67 (seven wins), Dunedoo 63 (six wins), Gidgee 62 (six wins), USC-Marthaguy 60 (five wins), Coonabarabran 52 (four wins), Town Services 48 (four wins).
Round 14 draw (final round of regular season): Town Services v USC-Marthaguy at McGrane Oval, Gilgandra; Gidgee v Biddon-Tooraweenah at Coonamble Sportsground, Dunedoo v Curban at Dunedoo, Coonabarabran v Gular at Coonabarabran.