Hills Softball Association ‘A’ Grade Women Round 2 (Strathalbyn v Hahndorf)On a cold and drizzly night, Strathalbyn took on Hahndorf who were fielding well from the start with catches to Georgia King, Peyton Daniels and Reggie Fairley sending Strath from the diamond without scoring. Strath also started well in the field with a catch taken at centre by Emily Eglitis, and two outs at first for a three up, three down inning to hold Hahndorf scoreless. Eglitis was able to get on base and be pushed around the diamond by hits to Tilly Lovelock and Tash Mayes to bring her home with Hahndorf’s Tahlia Larosa making a double play with an out at centre and quickly throwing to second and then taking a second catch in the outfield to end the innings. Two runs were brought in by Hahndorf in their second batting dig with Strath’s Gab Martin taking a catch at first and then two K2’s to pitcher/catcher combo Tessa Norris to Kim Cutting sending them from the diamond. Strath needed to score some runs and even though they got batters on to base they were unable to bring them home to add to the score with an out at first and two K2’s to new pitcher Daniels. Hahndorf added another two runs to their tally with hits to Nicola Zobel and King before Strath’s Tash Mayes took a catch at right field, an out at third by Cutting and another out at first ended the innings. Hahndorf were playing a great game in the field and even though Strath were getting hits they were  caught by N. Zobel, Rylee Zobel and a K2 to finish the innings scoreless. New Strath pitcher Mayes was trying hard in her first game pitching for a long time and while giving away some walks pitched well to get an infield fly and two catches at first by Eliza Lovelock to end the innings and the game with Hahndorf coming out on top 6 to Strathalbyn 1.Hills Softball Association ‘B/C’ Grade Women Round 2 (Strathalbyn v Redsox)On a cool day,Strathalbyn’s first batter was out at first base followed by a walk to Annabel McGregor who stole her way to third and then came home off a hit to Stacey Jamieson with Redsox ending the innings with an out at third and an out at first. Redsox first turn at bat produced runs to Mandy Bottroff and Ashlee Peterson before Strath could shut them down with a catch in the outfield to McGregor, a K2 to pitcher/catcher combo Rebecca Sims to Rebekah Mayes and a tag out at second by Clare Foley. Strath managed to get another run on the board to Foley in the second with Redsox Bottroff taking a catch at shortstop and two outs at third by Aleisha McNamara sending them from the diamond. Redsox were held scoreless in their second turn at bat with an out at first, a catch taken at shortstop by Jamieson and an out at second. The third dig for Strath was better with two runs added, one each to Sims and Jess Rumble with a nice hit by Sarah George pushing them around the diamond with Redsox making all three outs at first base. Four runs were added to the tally for Redsox in their third turn at bat with hits to Megson, Sienna Golding and a double to Bottroff with Strath making all three outs at first base. Safe hits to Kelly Roe, Taihya Graham and a double to Heidi Samuel pushed runners around the diamond and helped bring in four runs with Redsox making two outs at first and another out at third by McNamara to end Strath’s innings. Great base running added two more runs to Redsox total before an out at second, a K2 and an out at first ended the innings and the game as a draw Strathalbyn 8, Redsox 8. 

Hahndorf are the only undefeated team in the Alexandra & Eastern Hills Cricket Association (AEHCA) after they beat Lobethal by 31 runs during round two action at Hahndorf on Saturday. The Magpies won the toss and decided to bat first and they posted a very competitive total of 218 before being bowled out in the 45th over. Benny Montgomerie (51), Ryan Trafford-Walker (46), Henry Hassold (31) and Greg Hassold (30) were the mainstays of the Hahndorf innings. Josh Birtles (3/28), Riley Harten (2/22) and Tanner King (2/44) were the multiple wicket takers for a Lobethal team missing more than half their regular lineup. Lobethal battled hard in the run chase with teenager Sam Martin opening the batting and top scoring with a gritty 62 from 104 balls (4 x 4’s). Plenty of other batsmen got starts with only stand-in skipper Blake Shaw (28) passing 20 as the Tigers were contained to 9/187 from their allotted 45 overs. Ryan Trafford-Walker was best with the ball for the home side as he captured 4/33 (9), while teenager Henry Hassold also completed a fine double with 2/32 (7). Macclesfield won their first game in AEHCA ‘A’ grade ranks since the 2005/06 season after they pulled off a tense 15-run win against Bremer/Callington on the turf at Callington. The visitors were sent in by the Cobras and it was tough going as ‘Maccy’ struggled their way to 8/106 from their 45 overs. Skipper David Caddle led from the front with 32 not out and he was well supported by Josh Lewis-Burns with 25. Five Bremer/Callington bowlers took wickets with skipper Jai McMurtrie (2/14) and Amit Maina (2/17) leading the way. The home side's run chase started disastrously as they slipped to a precarious 6/27, and it appeared the Redbacks were well on their way to their first win of the season. In his first game for the club in more than five years, Chris Davis was proving hard to shift as he ground out a game high score of 34 from 90 balls, while Maina was the only other Cobras batsman to reach double figures with 14 not out. In the end, Macclesfield held their nerve to bowl the Cobras out for 91 in the 42nd over. Opening bowler Lachlan Barrett bowled a great spell to finish with 3/12 from his nine overs and he was well supported by Connor Moore (2/15), Luke Jones (2/17) and Jay Dawson (2/19). Reigning premier Nairne are on the board in 2021/22 with their first win of the season, a tough, low-scoring 19-run win against Langhorne Creek at Nairne. Luke Timmins won the toss and decided his Nairne side would bat first. The Razorbacks innings never really got going with the biggest partnership being 39 for the fifth wicket between Mitch Hein (22) and James Graves (14). Other handy contributors for Nairne were Luke Timmins (27), Jarrad Tait (25) and Shane Kenney (15) which lifted the Razorbacks to a total of 154 before they were bowled out in the 44th over. Langhorne Creek captain Dan Cleggett took the bowling honours with figures of 4/45 from his nine overs. Dan Kropp (2/15), Adam Clements (2/18) and Troy Blackwell (2/25) gave great support to their skipper. Kropp (38) and Shannon Jones (29) got the ‘Creeks’ off to a fast start as they put on 51 for the first wicket. Caleb Walker, in his first game for the club, got the all-important wicket of Kropp on his way to figures of 2/36 (6). Unfortunately for the Tigers, no other batsman could reach 20 as the experienced pair of Matt Hein (3/21) and Tait (2/16) strangled the life out of the visitors to bowl them out in the 38th over for 135.Strathalbyn got themselves on the winners list for the first time this season with a hard fought 19-run win at home against Woodside. With the rain that was around leading up to the game, it was always going to be a good toss to win, and Woodside skipper Shane Collins had no hesitation in asking the Stallions to bat first. It appeared a good move as both Strathalbyn openers were removed by Steve Ball (2/32) to leave the home side struggling at 2/15. Former skipper Mark Abbott came to the crease and with cousin Matt, added a very important 66 runs for the third wicket before Matt was dismissed for 25 from 51 balls. Mark went on to top score with a fine 55 from 91 balls (8 x 4’s, 1 x 6). Brayden Gaiter added a very handy 24 not out (24 balls) at the end as ‘Strath’ posted 7/152 from their 45 overs. Nick Johns jnr was the other multiple wicket taker for Woodside with 2/34. The Warriors also lost a couple of early wickets to slip to 2/16 before Will Dunstall and Tommy Baldock came together to steady the ship with a 36-run third wicket stand before Baldock was dismissed for 24 (52 balls). Dunstall continued on to top score with 38 (81 balls) and Shane Collins made 22 (43 balls), as the visitors reached 5/111 and they were in sight of victory. Enter Blake Beelitz, who ran through the Stallions lower order to snare 4/23 from 5.1 overs to see Woodside bowled out for 133 in the 44th over. Gaiter chimed in with 3/30 (8) in his first win as captain of the Stallions.Round 3 fixture (home team named first)Langhorne Creek v WoodsideNairne v StrathalbynBremer/Callington v HahndorfMacclesfield v LobethalLadder (after round 2)Hahndorf 8, Woodside 4, Langhorne Creek 4, Macclesfield 4, Lobethal 4, Strathalbyn 4, Nairne 4, Bremer/Callington 0.

Great Southern Bowls Association - Open Pennant Division 1Round 2 resultsYankalilla 68 defeated Strathalbyn 57Encounter Bay 56 defeated Port Elliot 50Goolwa Black 70 defeated Myponga 53Willunga 79 defeated Victor Harbor 42Goolwa White 54 defeated McLaren Vale 50Ladder (after round 2)Willunga 23, Goolwa White 20, Port Elliot 14, McLaren Vale 14, Goolwa Black 12, Victor Harbor 12, Yankalilla 11, Encounter Bay 10, Strathalbyn 2, Myponga 2.Round 3 fixtures (home team named first)Victor Harbor v StrathalbynMcLaren Vale v MypongaGoolwa White v Encounter BayYankalilla v Port ElliotGoolwa Black v Willunga

Meadows won their first game of the Hills Cricket Association (HCA) season following their comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Scott Creek Ironbank (SCIB) at Cherry Gardens on Saturday. Meadows won the toss and sent the home side in and the move paid immediate dividends with SCIB slumping to 4/16 with young Bulldogs opening bowler Tom Bevan-Giles doing most of the damage with a fine spell of 3/11 from his eight overs. Jarrod Thompson tried hard for the hosts as he top scored with a gritty 31 from 70 balls but it was to no avail as his side were dismissed for just 83 in the 35th over. Coming on as the fifth bowler to be used, veteran Chad Dawe snared 5/26 from 7.2 overs. It was the 16th five-wicket haul of Dawe’s stellar career. Meadows cruised to the victory target for the loss of just three wickets and with more than 20 overs to spare. Haydn Reid top scored with 46 not out from 62 balls with his innings containing eight boundaries. Anthony Hughes chipped in with 24 from 33 balls. Tom Watton (1/8), Danny Coleman (1/16) and Aaron Thompson (1/26) were the wicket takers for Scott Creek Ironbank.Reigning premier Mount Lofty made short work of Bridgewater to stay top of the HCA ladder with a convincing 10-wicket victory at the home of the Raiders. ‘Bridgy’ won the toss and chose to bat first and they started well with Luke Hoyle (24) and Justin Summerill (19) adding 30 for the first wicket. After that it was all the Redcaps with Caleb Risson (11) the only other batsman to reach double figures as his team were bowled out for 96 in the 38th over. 2020/21 Grand Final hero Brett Pistola was back for Mount Lofty and he took up where he left off last season with the fine figures of 3/16 (7.3). However, Pistola’s performance was overshadowed by Max Hawke, who bowled an inspired spell to finish with 5/9 from eight overs. It was the second five-wicket haul of Hawke’s career after he skittled Kangarilla last season with 6/10. Mount Lofty wasted no time in chasing the target down as the ultra aggressive duo of Jack Sandercock and Josh Healey reached the target of 96 off just 8.1 overs! Sandercock was devastating with 51 not out from just 21 balls with his knock containing two fours and a whopping six sixes, while Healey followed up his 83 not out from round one with 41 not out from 28 balls (4 x 4’s, 3 x 6’s).   Aldgate also made it two wins from as many starts with an eight-wicket triumph at Uraidla. Aldgate skipper Jake Turnbull won the toss and decided to field first and his side was off to a great start with the Demons slumping to 4/27 with Will Turner, in his second ‘A’ grade match for the 'Gaters', taking 2/17 (8). The experienced duo of Simon Parker and Renzo Gaetan then came together to add 57 runs for the fifth wicket to help put their side back in the game. Parker ended up with a top-scoring knock of 44 not out from 82 balls, while Gaetan made 29 from 59 balls, as the home side finished with 6/130 from their 40 overs. Other wicket takers for Aldgate were Max Bilsborow (1/21) and Brian Stephens (1/23). It was teenager Bilsborow’s first ‘A’ grade scalp. Aldgate were under early pressure with openers Josh Callaghan (1) and Mitch Thomas (7) both dismissed by Gaetan as the score sat at 2/16. Gaetan bowled an excellent spell to finish with 2/18 from his eight overs. Luke Smet and Angas Wauchope were promoted up the order and they did their team proud as they added an unbeaten 116 runs for the third wicket to get the win with more than 11 overs spare. Smet finished with 60 not out (5 x 4’s, 2 x 6’s) and Wauchope 52 not out (6 x 4’s). It was the first ‘A’ grade half centuries for both Smet and Wauchope. The match between Stirling and Kangarilla was unfortunately abandoned due to Stirling Oval being too wet after heavy rain during the latter part of the week. The teams received three points each for a draw.Round 3 fixture (home team named first)Aldgate v MeadowsUraidla v Scott Creek IronbankBridgewater v KangarillaStirling v Mount LoftyLadder (after round 2)Mount Lofty 12, Aldgate 12, Stirling 9, Kangarilla 9, Meadows 6, Scott Creek Ironbank 0, Uraidla 0, Bridgewater 0.

Fierce local rivals Goolwa and Port Elliot had a nail-biting start to their Great Southern Cricket Association (GSCA) season with Goolwa winning the round one clash by two runs with just two balls left in the game. Home side Port Elliot won the toss and decided to send Goolwa in and the Magpies struggled to get any momentum as they were bowled out for 113 in the 40th over. Jesse Le Ray (35) and Andy Evans (28) were the only Goolwa batsmen to pass 20, and their 54-run third wicket stand would prove pivotal to the outcome of the game. Scott Hannam (3/19), David Ling (3/22) and the evergreen Simon Donaldson (2/13) were the standout bowlers for the Bloods. Port Elliot’s run chase started in disastrous fashion as they slumped to 3/4 before Hayden Gordge (20) and Liam Harris (16) steadied the ship somewhat as they added 32 runs for the fourth wicket. Ling (13) and teenager Finn Hayden took the Bloods along to 5/60 and the game was on an even keel before Evans (4/18) struck with three wickets in five balls to leave the home side reeling at 8/60. Tyson Somerfield joined Hayden and this pair gallantly battled to get their side over the line with a 39-run stand before Hayden was dismissed for 20. Somerfield was joined by Donaldson with 15 runs required for victory. The equation became four runs needed from the last over to be bowled by new Magpies skipper Jayden Crees (3/11). Somerfield took a single from the second ball of the over before Donaldson was dismissed off the fourth ball to secure a great victory for Goolwa. Somerfield finished on 31 not out (31 balls), while Josh Jones (2/24) was the other multiple wicket taker for the Magpies.Noarlunga started their 2021/22 season well as they defeated Encounter Bay by five wickets at Old Noarlunga. Shoes skipper Jason Scarff sent the Bays in, and the move paid early dividends as the visitors were soon struggling at 4/23 thanks to some excellent bowling from Matthew Ray (2/6), Harry Jackson (1/16) and Travis Bronstein (1/17). The big wicket for the innings was former Bays skipper Cam Lintern, who was unluckily run out at the non-striker's end without scoring. New captain Blake Bailey (33) and Dennis Rice (17) tried hard to add some respectability to the scoreboard as Encounter Bay completed their 40 overs on 8/93. Off-Spinner Anthony Burgess took the bowling honours for Noarlunga with 3/16 (8). The Shoes got off to a good start with Cam Bullard and Mason Parry adding 36 for the first wicket before Bullard was dismissed for 24 which precipitated a potentially disastrous collapse of 4/3. Burgess was playing a steadying hand with 26 not out and along with Jason Scarff (17 not out) he got his side over the line with 11 overs to spare. Teenager Kieran Garrett (2/12) and Shane Hastings (2/20) were the multiple wicket takers for Encounter Bay.Willunga got their premiership defence off to the perfect start with a hard fought four-wicket away win against McLaren Districts. The home side won the toss and batted first and were off to a good start as Justin Twartz (35) and Ben Wilcox (14) put on 43 runs for the first wicket. Twartz and vice-captain Luke Goodieson (28) took the score to 1/77 and the Crushers were eyeing off a total of 160+. Tye McIvor (1/26) got the important wicket of Twartz and then the Willunga spinners took over, with skipper Luke Harding (3/21) and Simon Roberts (2/17) combining for five wickets. Two run-outs stifled the home side as they finished on 8/134 from their 40 overs. Willunga lost Joel Docking (0) early in their run chase before Harding (24) and Rhys Allard (27) combined for a handy 47-run partnership. Three quick wickets for the Crushers saw Willunga slightly on edge at 4/73, but Roberts (30) and ‘keeper Scott Brown (35 not out) saw the Demons to victory with nine balls to spare. Andrew Fechner was the standout bowler for the Crushers with 3/17 (8), while Dylan Howie (1/13) and Stephen Nairn (1/25) were the other wicket takers.Round 2 fixtures (home team named first - 1 day games)Encounter Bay v Port ElliotWillunga v NoarlungaGoolwa v McLaren DistrictsLadder (after round 1)Noarlunga 6, Willunga 6, Goolwa 6, Port Elliot 0, McLaren Districts 0, Encounter Bay 0.

Great Southern Bowls Association - Women’s Pennant Division 1Round 1 resultsMcLaren Vale 68 defeated Goolwa White 43Yankalilla 69 defeated Goolwa Black 50Victor Harbor 71 defeated Encounter Bay 43Willunga 65 defeated Port Elliot 46Ladder (after round 1)Victor Harbor 12, McLaren Vale 12, Willunga 10, Yankalilla 10, Goolwa Black 2, Port Elliot 2, Goolwa White 0, Encounter Bay 0.Round 2 fixtures (home team named first)Victor Harbor v WillungaYankalilla v Port ElliotGoolwa White v Encounter BayGoolwa Black v McLaren Vale

The Great Southern Cricket Association (GSCA) season begins on Saturday (16/10) with six teams chasing ‘A’ grade premiership glory. Each team will play 10 matches in the minor round with 5 x 2-day and 5 x 1-day games. Reigning premier Willunga won their third ‘A’ grade flag in four seasons in 2020/21 following an undefeated campaign. In fact, Willunga haven’t lost a game since October 2019! The Demons will go into the season with basically an unchanged lineup with Luke Harding to continue as captain. Willunga have match winners throughout their team with 2020/21 ‘Cricketer of the Year’ Simon Roberts a standout. Roberts made 201 runs at an average of 67.00 and took 38 wickets at the miserly average of just 7.79 runs per wicket last season. Joel Docking had a career-best season with 436 runs and 14 wickets, while players such as Luke Goldner, Sean McIvor and Harding are high quality.Port Elliot were the big improvers of 2020/21 as their young side made it through to the Grand Final after finals wins against Noarlunga and Encounter Bay before being outclassed in the decider by Willunga. Last season’s skipper Brodie Whitbourne has returned to grade cricket ranks and will be replaced by Joel Harris at the helm. The club has been hit hard with off-season injuries with Colby Whitbourne (Knee), Ethan Spriggs (Knee) and Ben Griffiths (Ankle) all out for most, if not all of this season. Josh Andrewartha has moved to Mount Compass in the ‘B’ grade competition.Encounter Bay bounced back from missing the finals in 2019/20 to finish second at the end of the minor round last season. Unfortunately for the Bays they went out in ‘straight sets’ after losing to Willunga and Port Elliot in the finals. There’s been a change of leadership with young bowler Blake Bailey taking the reins from club legend Cam Lintern. Bailey took 13 wickets last season and also played in the GSCA team in the Meyer Shield and Figg Cup. Lintern had an excellent season with the bat in 2020/21 with 426 runs at an average of 60.86 and Sam Hoffmann made 226 runs at 28.25, but these two club stalwarts will need more support with the bat this season. Young bowler Jonah Magor returns to the Bays from working in Darwin. Noarlunga got beaten in week one of the finals last season by Port Elliot and will be keen to make amends in 2021/22. Jason Scarff will lead the Shoes for an eighth consecutive campaign with new recruit Cam Bullard as his deputy. Bullard played in Noarlunga’s 2018/19 premiership and is back at the club after a stint at Southern Districts. Former juniors Travis Bronstein and Mason Parry will be playing with the Shoes as well after also being at Southern Districts last season, while Ben Stewart-Tonkin is set to return to the Shoes. David Ling (Port Elliot) and Michael Smith (Port Noarlunga) have both returned to their former clubs, while Peter Lamz has retired.Goolwa had a disappointing 2020/21 campaign, winning just two games and finishing in fifth position on the GSCA ladder. Jayden Crees has taken over the captaincy from Josh Jones and he will have the services of left-arm spinner James Lawrence and top order batsman Vic Robertson after both only played a handful of matches last season. The Magpies are hoping to see continued development from young players such as Ty Rigney, Brody Vincent and the returning Thomas Carter and Braden Reade. The club is also set for a big season off-field with their new clubrooms to be opened early in the season.McLaren Districts won just one game last season as they finished on the bottom of the ladder. This doesn’t tell the whole story though as the Crushers were competitive in most games throughout the season. Stephen Nairn will once again captain the 'A' grade with Luke Goodieson as his deputy. The squad remains pretty similar to last season and will be boosted by the return of wicket-keeper Ben Worrall. Young bowler Josh van den Broeke has transferred to Adelaide University in grade cricket ranks.Round 1 fixture (one-day games/home teams named first)Port Elliot v GoolwaNoarlunga v Encounter BayMcLaren Districts v Willunga

Hills Softball Association ‘A’ Grade Women Round 1 (Strathalbyn v Torrens Valley)In the first game of the season, Strathalbyn came up against Torrens Valley and fielded first. Torrens Valley had some good hits and brought home three runs before Tessa Norris switched on her pitching with three K2’s combined with catcher Kim Cutting. In their first turn at bat, Strath had some good hits and got runners on base but were unable to bring any runs home. Strath were on fire in their second turn at fielding holding Torrens Valley to no runs with a catch by Buttsy Milne at second, a tag out at third by Cutting to Britt Jackson and a catch at third also by Jackson. Strath were again held to no runs in their second turn at bat with Torrens Valley making a K2, a catch at third and an out at third to send them from the diamond. Torrens Valley brought in a total of seven runs in their third turn at bat due to great batting and running, with Abi Jorgensen hitting a home run. Strath worked hard in the field with an out at second, a tag out at first by Tash Mayes and a fielder's choice put out at third by Jackson. Strathalbyn did better in the third getting runners on base and bringing home two runs before Torrens Valley took a catch at centre and made two outs at first to end the innings. The fourth turn at bat for Torrens Valley brought in a further four runs from great hitting and base running with new pitcher Sasha Penglase getting a K2 and two outs at first base by Rebekah Mayes to send them back to the dugout. Strath needed more runs on the board but were unable to with Torrens Valley making two outs at first and a catch at short stop to end the innings and the game. The final score was Torrens Valley 14 defeating Strathalbyn 2.Hills Softball Association ‘B/C’ Grade Women Round 1 (Strathalbyn v Hahndorf)For the first game of the season in the combined ‘B/C’ grade, Strathalbyn Panthers ‘C’ grade took on Hahndorf ‘B’ grade. Strath started in the field and with a catch followed by two K2’s to pitcher Amy Bailey, the Panthers had Hahndorf three up, three down. Strath then came in to bat with lead off batter Stacey Jamieson making it safely to first. After taking a catch at centre field, Hahndorf’s Tracey Luxon sent the ball back to first to make a double play. A two base hit to right field by Rebecca Sims was followed by another great hit to right field by Bobbie Taylor to bring Sims across the plate to score the first run of the game. In the second dig Hahndorf got their bats to the ball, managing to get runners on base and bringing them around. A fantastic catch to Heidi Samuel at centrefield off a great hit by Jackie Pocock helped close out the innings with Hahndorf scoring seven runs. In their next bat Strath was able to get a runner on base and with the help of a great hit by Jess Rumble, scored the runner before a catch to Brooke Goslett at leftfield closed out the inning. The first two batters to come up for Hahndorf were out at first thanks to the safe glove of Rumble with another K2 by Bailey to hold Hahndorf scoreless. Some patient batting in the third innings got runners on base again for Strath with a well placed hit to centrefield by Bailey scoring two runs for the Panthers. In their last at bat, Hahndorf once again got bat to ball for a number of safe hits including a home run by Emma Jarvis. After two outs at first, a tag at home by catcher Taylor ended Hahndorf’s innings. Leading off the last dig, Amy Roker made it on base. After a spectacular steal to second she was brought around the diamond by her teammates to score followed by Jamieson and Casey Taylor for a total of three runs before time was called on the game. The final score was Hahndorf 17 defeating Strathalbyn 7. 

Woodside claimed the big scalp of reigning premier Nairne during round one action in the Alexandra & Eastern Hills Cricket Association (AEHCA) on Saturday. New Woodside skipper Shane Collins won the toss and elected to bat first and veteran opener Dave Wescombe got his side off to a good start with a typically aggressive 44 from 54 balls (6 x 4’s). The game was very even with the home side sitting precariously at 4/88 before Sam Pullen played an innings-defining knock of 46 from 49 balls. Pullen’s innings included one boundary and four ‘maximums’ as Woodside finished with a competitive total of 7/178 from their 45 overs. Jarrad Tait (2/29) and Chad Harrop (2/41) were the multiple wicket takers for Nairne. The reigning premiers run chase started in disastrous fashion with Tait out first ball and Zac Llewellyn dismissed for five. Mitch Hein (24) and Robert Crook (18) got the innings somewhat back on track and Shane Kenney supplied some late fireworks with a hard hitting 45 from just 37 balls. Kenney’s innings included three boundaries and three sixes but it wasn’t enough as Nairne were rolled for 116 in the 32nd over. All five Woodside bowlers claimed wickets with Shane Collins (4/20) and Steve Ball (3/27) the main destroyers. 2021/22 runner-up Lobethal started their season with a tough 17-run win against Bremer/Callington on the new turf wicket at Callington. New skipper Mitch Weeks won the toss for Lobethal and decided to bat first and he certainly led from the front. No Tigers batsman could pass 20 except for Weeks who carried his bat through the 45-over innings to finish on 84 not out from 134 balls (5 x 4’s). Weeks’ innings set Lobethal up for a competitive total of 7/150. Nathan Fitzgerald (2/23) and Amit Maina (2/24) were the leading bowlers for the Cobras. The home sides run chase started disastrously with both Ajay Pundir and Graydon Brand dismissed by Matt Martin (3/22) without scoring to see the Cobras sitting at a precarious 2/0. Michael Kudra (41 from 61 balls) and Sandeep Huda (31 from 42 balls) got the Cobras right back in the game as they reached 4/98 but after they were both dismissed, Bremer/Callington lost their last 6/35 to be bowled out in the 43rd over for 133. Mitch Weeks (2/13) and Will Zadow (2/22) were the other multiple wicket takers for Lobethal.Langhorne Creek and Strathalbyn played out a high scoring round one game at Langhorne Creek with the home side coming out on top by 39 runs. The ‘Creeks’ batted first and their big total of 5/259 was set up by three good partnerships at the top. New skipper Daniel Cleggett (27) and Daniel Kropp (60) opened with a 74-run stand before Ben Warren joined Kropp to add 64 runs for the second wicket. Adam Clements (38 from 37 balls) then joined Warren in an 83-run third wicket partnership before Warren was dismissed for a fine 95 from 72 balls (8 x 4’s, 1 x 6). Danny Horan (2/52) and Ben Cousins (2/68) were the multiple wicket takers for the Stallions, while Matt Abbott was clearly their most economical bowler with 0/23 (7). Strathalbyn got off to a solid start with Luke Cousins (24), Matthew Harris (29) and Steve Schofield (21) all getting starts but as the required run rate crept up, regular wickets kept falling despite a rearguard action from Matt Abbott who made 56 from 58 balls with four boundaries. Six Langhorne Creek bowlers took wickets with debutant Jens Christensen the star with 3/34 (9). Riley Tonkin (2/7) and Troy Blackwell (2/48) chipped in with a couple of wickets each. ‘A’ grade cricket returned to Macclesfield for the first time in 15 years as the Redbacks hosted Hahndorf. Sadly for ‘Maccy’ it was not to be a winning return as the Magpies got up in a tight contest by two wickets. The home side won the toss and decided to bat first but it was a real struggle as no batsman could reach 20. Kieran O’Connell (19) and Connor Moore (19) top scored with the bat but it was the 33 extras conceded by Hahndorf that boosted the Redbacks score to 113 before they were bowled out in the 43rd over. All six Hahndorf bowlers took wickets with Hayden Knappstein the standout with 3/14 (5). Benny Montgomerie (2/11) and Dean Gore (2/16) were the other multiple wicket takers for the Magpies. Hahndorf battled hard in the run chase with just three players reaching double figures in Montgomerie (35), Gore (21) and Ben Judd (21 not out). The visitors held their nerve though and got the runs in the 38th over for the loss of eight wickets. Best with the ball for the Redbacks was Rohan Voogt who snared 3/27 from 7.5 overs.Round 2 fixture (home team named first)Nairne v Langhorne CreekStrathalbyn v WoodsideHahndorf v LobethalBremer/Callington v MacclesfieldLadder (after round 1)Woodside 4, Langhorne Creek 4, Hahndorf 4, Lobethal 4, Bremer/Callington 0, Macclesfield 0, Strathalbyn 0, Nairne 0.

Great Southern Bowls Association - Open Pennant Division 1Round 1 resultsMcLaren Vale 58 defeated Encounter Bay 44Victor Harbor 74 defeated Myponga 54Willunga 71 defeated Yankalilla 49Goolwa White 67 defeated Goolwa Black 59Port Elliot 64 defeated Strathalbyn 43Ladder (after round 1)Port Elliot 12, Victor Harbor 12, McLaren Vale 12, Willunga 11, Goolwa White 10, Goolwa Black 2, Yankalilla 1, Encounter Bay 0, Myponga 0, Strathalbyn 0.Round 2 fixtures (home team named first)Strathalbyn v YankalillaEncounter Bay v Port ElliotMyponga v Goolwa BlackWillunga v Victor HarborGoolwa White v McLaren Vale

Mount Lofty started their premiership defence in style on Saturday with a comfortable nine-wicket win against Uraidla during round one action in the Hills Cricket Association (HCA). The Redcaps broke a 32-year ‘A’ grade premiership drought last season and they went into round one with a similar side from that historic day in March. Uraidla made first use of their home ground and were in a seemingly good position at 1/79 with Thomas Bassett (28) and new recruit Peter Wilson (25) combining for a valuable 49-run stand for the second wicket. Mount Lofty were keeping things tight and they were rewarded as Uraidla collapsed, losing their last nine wickets for just 37 runs, to be bowled out in the 40th over for 116. James Kittel-Neill was the star with the ball for the Redcaps as he snared 5/19 (8). It was the second five-wicket haul of Kittel-Neill’s ‘A’ grade career. The ever-consistent Adam Carthew chimed in with 3/24 from 7.4 overs. The Redcaps wasted no time getting amongst it in the run chase as Josh Healey and Kittel-Neill (13) added 41 runs for the opening wicket in just 4.4 overs. Healey then completely took over as he smashed his way to an impressive 83 not out from just 55 balls. Healey’s innings contained 8 x 4’s and 5 x 6’s. Mount Lofty skipper Jordan Neis-Beer finished seven not out with the winning runs hit in just the 17th over. Simon Parker (1/30) was the sole wicket taker for Uraidla.Kangarilla took a big scalp to open the season following their tight 14-run win at Meadows over the Bulldogs. The home side won the toss and decided to bowl first. William Bevan-Giles (2/41) picked up an early wicket, his first in ‘A’ grade ranks, as he removed Kangarilla skipper Che Martinsen for five. All-Rounder Steve Featherstone (25) was joined by teenager Lachlan Knight and this pair added 49 runs for the second wicket before ‘Feathers’ was dismissed. Knight was also involved in an important 55-run stand with Ben Evans (22) for the fourth wicket with Knight continuing on to make a fine 80 (2 x 4’s, 2 x 6’s) as ‘Kangies’ posted a competitive 5/176 from their 40 overs. Teenager Cade Long took 2/36 (8) in just his third ‘A’ grade game. Meadows started their run chase with regular opening pair Haydn Reid and Luke Tonkin and it was Reid who was first to go as he was dismissed by Ben Evans (1/21) for seven. Anthony Hughes (19), who was playing with his 13 year old son Jake, came in at number three and added 70 runs for the second wicket with Tonkin before Tonkin was dismissed for a fine 55 from 61 balls (5 x 4’s, 3 x 6’s). Skipper Rohan Reid (32) and Oscar Tydeman (17) then put on 31 for the fourth wicket but the required run rate was climbing and wickets started to fall as Kangarilla got on top. It became the ‘Ryan Grimmond Show’ as he took 4/46 (8) and also ran Brad Louch out as Meadows finished 14 runs short on 8/162. Daniel Gonzalez scored his fourth ‘A’ grade ton for Stirling as the Eagles opened their 2021/22 campaign with a solid 24-run win at Cherry Gardens against Scott Creek Ironbank (SCIB). Gonzalez has been a consistent run scorer in the competition for a number of years but last year he struggled and not surprisingly, so did Stirling. On Saturday, Gonzalez and Myles Collins opened the season with an excellent 101-run partnership with Collins contributing 46 from 80 balls. Kosta Sinodinos (20 not out) and Jack Pick (20) made handy contributions but it was ‘Speedy’ with his 101 from 123 balls (10 x 4’s, 2 x 6’s) that was the star of the show as the Eagles posted 4/211 from their 40 overs. Aaron Thompson took 3/49 (8) in just his second game for SCIB. In response, the home side battled hard to bat out their 40 overs to finish on 8/187. Adam Shearwood, back at the club this season, was the backbone of the innings with 70 from 81 balls (11 x 4’s), while Daniel Desengo made 47 from 49 balls (2 x 4’s, 2 x 6’s). Skipper Jack Pick took 3/36 and he was well supported by Sinodinos (2/18) and Jack Read (2/51).Aldgate started their season in good style with a comfortable six-wicket win at home against newly promoted Bridgewater. Aldgate skipper Jake Turnbull sent the Raiders into bat and the visitors got off to a flyer with Luke Hoyle (36) and Justin Summerill (20) adding 54 runs for the first wicket before teenager Pete Bowen removed both openers. Bowen had an excellent debut with 2/20 from his eight overs. Rhys Jordan (22) and Liam Sutcliffe (47) then put the innings back on track with a 49-run fourth wicket stand which took Bridgewater to 3/111 and a score of 180+ looked on the cards. Once Jordan was dismissed the Raiders collapsed, losing their last 7/40 to be bowled out in the 38th over for 151. Charlie Morbey was also on debut for the ‘Gaters’ and he finished with 2/25 (4), while Turnbull (2/10) and Matty Hansen (2/31) were the other multiple wicket takers. Aldgate started their run chase in cautious fashion before Mitch Thomas (5) was dismissed by Rafferty Sullivan-Llewellyn (1/29) with the score at 1/12. Turnbull joined Josh Callaghan and this pair took the game away from Bridgewater with an 87-run second wicket stand before ‘Turbo’ was dismissed for 46 from 61 balls. Callaghan continued on to make 60 from 77 balls (2 x 4’s, 6 x 6’s) as the winning runs came up in the 37th over. In just his second ‘A’ grade game, young leg-spinner Finlay Sullivan-Llewellyn bowled well to take 2/21 from his eight overs.Round 2 fixture (home team named first)Uraidla v AldgateScott Creek Ironbank v MeadowsBridgewater v Mount LoftyStirling v KangarillaLadder (after round 1)Mount Lofty 6, Stirling 6, Aldgate 6, Kangarilla 6, Meadows 0, Bridgewater 0, Scott Creek Ironbank 0, Uraidla 0.

The Great Southern Bowls Association (GSBA) season gets underway tomorrow with the Open Pennant’s (Division 1 - Division 6). The Women’s Pennant season will start on Thursday 14 October. GSBA - Round 1 fixture (home team named first)McLaren Vale v Encounter BayVictor Harbor v MypongaYankalilla v WillungaGoolwa Black v Goolwa WhitePort Elliot v Strathalbyn

The Alexandra & Eastern Hills Cricket Association (AEHCA) ‘A’ grade season kicks off tomorrow with eight teams chasing premiership glory. There’s been some changes to the competition since last season with Mount Barker and Wistow dropping out of ‘A’ grade ranks, while Macclesfield, who have won the past two A2 premierships, have made the step up to the top tier for the first time since 2005/06. There will be 18 rounds in 2021/22 with games being one day contests of 45 overs per side.Last season, Nairne won an amazing premiership after winning their last two minor round games to make it to the top four, before going on a stunning finals run which culminated in their grand final victory against Lobethal. It was Nairne’s 15th AEHCA ‘A’ grade flag. Luke Timmins will lead the Razorbacks again in 2021/22 and his squad will be boosted by the inclusion of Nick Massaci (Modbury), Caleb Walker (Mount Barker) and Luke Clayton (NSW), while promising junior Zac Llewellyn returns from underage district cricket. Sam Rowe is taking a step back to spend more time with family, while Trai Willis injured his knee during football season and will miss the majority of the season.Last year’s runner-up Lobethal went agonisingly close to their first ‘A’ grade flag in AEHCA ranks and have added former Wistow players Lachlan and Hayden Elsworthy to their playing list, while Mitch Weeks will captain the ‘A’ grade in 2021/22, replacing Ben Matthews. Lobethal’s bowling was a real strength last season with Cam Winen, Weeks, Matt Martin and Will Zadow combining for 94 wickets, while Matthews was a standout with the bat making 475 runs.Langhorne Creek will look to bounce back after finishing minor premier last season before going out of the finals in ‘straight sets’. Daniel Cleggett will take over from Matt Tonkin as ‘A’ grade skipper with Brodie O’Dea and Troy Blackwell as his deputies. Ben McLeod and Brayden Frost return to the Tigers, while the club has picked up 17 y/o all-rounder Trent Frahn from Monarto and fast bowler Jens Christensen from Queensland. Christensen has some good ‘Creeks’ pedigree with his grandfather, Warren Mills, being a former player as well as a four-time premiership player with the Langhorne Creek Football Club.Hahndorf will enter the 2021/22 season keen to make amends after exiting the finals in week one in March. Ryan Trafford-Walker will lead the Magpies again this season but he will be without Shaun Tait who has returned to live in London and Graydon Brand who will suit up for Bremer/Callington. They have picked up a couple of handy replacements in Paul Allegretto (Kensington) and Michael Harden (Nairne). The Magpies will look forward to training a little bit more this season with new training nets being completed recently.Strathalbyn missed the finals on percentage last season as their wait for a drought-breaking ‘A’ grade premiership extended to 23 seasons. The Stallions have appointed Justin Neumann as club coach while after six seasons in charge, Mark Abbott has stepped down as captain with Brayden Gaiter taking over as ‘A’ grade skipper. There are no major personnel changes at the Stallions, although Matty Roberts will probably be unavailable as he is hopeful of being drafted into the AFL! The club has a number of second year under 16 players that they hope will get more opportunities at ‘A’ Grade level including Jack Roberts, Tyson Roberts and Riley Brook. Woodside missed finals action last year for the second season in a row and will be hoping to rectify this situation in 2021/22. Shane Collins will take over from his brother Brad as ‘A’ grade skipper this season. The Warriors will look to Tommy Baldock and club legend Dave Wescombe with the bat, and Chris Baschiera and skipper Collins with the ball, to push for the top-four.Bremer/Callington have been busy in the off-season with a new turf pitch for the ‘number 1’ oval and plenty of player movements. Daniel Lowe returns after a season off and the Cobras have picked up Graydon Brand (Hahndorf), Rajesh Kumar (Southern Warriors) and Sanket Pawale (Clydesdale Farm - NSW). Nick Williams (Sturt) and Brad Louch (Meadows) have departed the club. Jai McMurtrie, who took over the captaincy during last season, will continue as ‘A grade skipper.Macclesfield are back in ‘A’ grade ranks for the first time since the 2005-06 season after winning the past two A2 flags. For the fifth consecutive season, the Redbacks will be led by David Caddle and his side will be mostly unchanged from last season, apart from Brad Noske who is having a season off. Kieran O’Connell, Lachlan Barrett and Caddle combined for more than 1,200 runs last season, while Barrett (25 wickets) and Tom Malzard (21 wickets) will be keys for ‘Maccy’ with the ball.Round 1 fixture (home teams named first)Langhorne Creek v StrathalbynWoodside v NairneMacclesfield v HahndorfBremer/Callington v Lobethal

The Hills Cricket Association (HCA) ‘A’ grade season begins on Saturday (9/10) with eight teams chasing the Von Doussa Shield. Flagstaff Hill has moved to the Adelaide & Suburban Cricket Association, while after winning the A2 premiership last season, Bridgewater are back in ‘A’ grade ranks.Reigning premier Mount Lofty broke a 32-year premiership drought last season after their dramatic eight-run win over HCA powerhouse Meadows in the Grand Final. The Redcaps have retained their playing group and will once again be led by Jordan Neis-Beer, who had an excellent season in 2020/21 with 416 runs, including a match-winning 67 in the Grand Final. James Kittel-Neill, Adam Carthew, Aaron Smith and Josh Healey will all be keys to their teams success this season.2020/21 runners-up Meadows will once again be one of the teams to beat this season Rohan Reid will lead the Bulldogs as they look to win an amazing 13th premiership since 2005/06. Meadows will be without Kris Dawe and Josh Teakle at this stage, while Brad Louch and Daniel Cross have returned to the kennel. Meadows will look to the continued improvement from their young players including Oscar Tydeman, Cade Long and Will Bevan-Giles.Kangarilla played finals last season for the first time since joining the HCA in 2014/15 and defeated Aldgate in their semi-final before being knocked out by eventual premier Mount Lofty in the Preliminary Final. Che Martinsen will lead the club again and will be a key to his club's fortunes. Gun all-rounder Steve Featherstone  (396 runs & 21 wickets last season) and young bowler Ben Evans (25 wickets last season) will give Martinsen excellent support and ‘Kangies’ will hope batsmen such as Matthew Bertelsmeier and Lachlan Knight will step up this season. Cole Davy will be a big loss as he has moved to Whyalla for work.Aldgate were in the top-two for most of last season before slipping to third at the end of the minor round and then losing the knockout semi-final to Kangarilla to bring their season to an abrupt end. Captain-Coach Jake Turnbull will take charge of the Gaters again and he will look to the club’s depth and promising juniors to take Aldgate to the finals. Some key players for Aldgate include Mitch Thomas, who had a career-best season in 2020/21 with 437 runs (including two centuries) and Matty Hansen (23 wickets in 2020/21). Jack Woollard, who came across from Palmer last season, will be out for the season with a knee injury.Stirling missed finals action for the first time since 2016/17 but they have been active in the off-season as they prepare to get back to finals action. Jack Pick will lead the Eagles, while former premiership player Tim ‘Mayor’ Bull has been appointed senior coach. Fast bowler Daniel Parfitt has returned and Harrison Webb has been recruited from Murray Towns club Monarto. Webb is a three-time ‘A’ grade premiership player at Monarto and has made over 4,500 runs and taken more than 200 wickets for the club. Former junior Charlie Fryer will also play at the Eagles this season. Jacob Gonzalez is out for the season through injury.After spending the 2019/20 season in A2, Uraidla were back in the top flight last season and won four games, including a round one victory over Meadows. Michael Parker will lead Uraidla again this season with Alex Heptinstall and Renzo Gaetan taking on the role of co-coaches. Pete Wilson will be a huge addition for the Demons as he makes the move from district club Sturt. Ben Brumby also joins the club from Hahndorf. Teenager Mason Pitt has left the club to play in the Adelaide Turf competition for Ingle Farm. After winning back-to-back premierships in the A2 competition, Scott Creek Ironbank (SCIB) made their way back into A1 last season and had a tough winless campaign. Beau Thomas remains as captain and he will be very happy to have opening bowler Daniel Desengo back ‘full time’ this season. SCIB are also hopeful opening batsman Adam Shearwood will be back at the club this season. The club has worked hard in recent years to improve numbers and they will have three senior and three junior teams competing in 2021/22.Bridgewater has returned to A1 competition after winning the A2 premiership for the third time in the past seven seasons. Justin Summerill will skipper the Raiders in their return to ‘A’ grade ranks and he will be well supported by veteran Luke Hoyle. Experienced bowler Anthony Jennings will miss the start of the season due to an injury suffered in a Hockey Grand Final recently. The club is hopeful he won’t miss too much of the season. Jackson Hooper, fresh off winning the Mail Medal in the Hills Football League, will also be an important player for the Raiders in 2021/22.Round 1 fixture (home teams named first)Aldgate v BridgewaterScott Creek ironbank v StirlingMount Lofty v UraidlaMeadows v Kangarilla

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