The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is providing sports and athletes with greater certainty further into the future, committing in advance more than $115 million to Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games sports for the 2021-22 financial year. The AIS will increase direct investment into Paralympic sport by more than $3million in 2021-22 and will extend the vast majority of current funding levels for able-bodied sports through to the end of June 2022. Australian Sports Commission (ASC) Chair John Wylie says: “This gives sports funding clarity for the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics and the 2022 Commonwealth Games. It is also a springboard towards Paris 2024. “We are particularly pleased to also announce an increase of $3.02 million funding to Paralympic sports, which will benefit 13 sporting programs. Since 2012, the ASC has increased funding to Paralympic sports by 40 per cent. Paralympic sports in Australia now receive an equal or greater share of AIS funding on a comparable basis to other major Olympic and Paralympic nations. We are truly delighted this is the case. These are merit-based investments reflecting the achievements of our Paralympic athletes, but they are also further recognition of how they inspire our nation,” Mr Wylie says. ASC Commissioner and Paralympic champion Kurt Fearnley said the funding announcement was vital for the future recognition and growth of Paralympic sport. “It is 20 years since the Sydney 2000 Paralympics, which helped create an incredible legacy for Paralympic sport in Australia. We’ve worked hard to maintain that culture of success and the requirement to be a Paralympic athlete now means you need your heart, soul and life committed to that sport. So we're investing and creating new pathways to ensure we keep our reputation as one of the strongest Para-sport communities in the world,” Mr Fearnley says. “A key feature of this Paralympic funding is that it’s being directed straight to National Sporting Organisations so that sports can take real ownership in developing their Paralympic programs. That’s important to ensure we raise the prominence of Paralympic programs right across Australian sport.” AIS CEO Peter Conde said the overall funding decisions achieve the right balance between providing sports with longer-term certainty but also providing flexibility for performance-based changes in the lead-up to Paris 2024. “We’re in a unique situation where this current Games cycle has extended to five years, so we will only have three years between Tokyo and Paris” Mr Conde says. “The AIS will continue discussions with sports with the aim of announcing the remainder of funding for the complete Paris cycle by December 2021. “In the meantime, by giving sports high performance funding certainty through to June 2022, we are giving sports and athletes the best possible chance to succeed on the world stage at major upcoming international events. “It’s good news in particular for Commonwealth Games sports looking ahead to Birmingham 2022. “In addition to this funding announcement, the AIS also invests more than $18m a year in direct grants to sports through pathway funding for emerging young athletes and athlete wellbeing, while we provide more than $14m a year in direct grants to athletes to support their training and competition.” Mr Wylie says: “With sport investment funding, pathway programs and athlete income assistance, the ASC is directly investing $147 million in Australian high performance sport this financial year, up 37 per cent from the $107 million in 2012. The ASC is very proud to have driven such a substantial increase in AIS investment in sport. “This would not have been possible without the steadfast support of the Australian Government, and on behalf of all Australian athletes and sports lovers, we thank them for it.” The 13 Paralympic programs receiving an increase in funding are: Archery; Athletics; Basketball; Bowls; Cycling; Paddle; Equestrian; Rowing; Rugby; Triathlon; Table Tennis; Shooting; and Swimming. Kurt Fearnley, Paralympic champion and John Wylie, ASC Chair discus the funding and the future of Australia's Paralympic future HERE

The Hills Cricket Association (HCA) season will resume tomorrow after taking a break last Saturday for the AFL Grand Final. The 'Match of the Round' sees a battle of two undefeated sides with Aldgate hosting Mount Lofty. Aldgate has had two big wins to start the season over Scott Creek Ironbank and Uraidla while Mount Lofty have won their opening two games after successful run chases against Kangarilla and Flagstaff Hill. Another top-four clash this round sees reigning premier Meadows head to Flagstaff Hill to take on the Falcons. Both sides have a 1-1 win-loss record after two rounds.Stirling host Kangarilla with the Eagles searching for their first win of the season. Kangarilla got their season going with a victory over Scott Creek Ironbank in round two. Both sides qualified for finals last season so this is a pivotal match, even this early in the season. Scott Creek Ironbank host Uraidla with both clubs re-joining 'A' grade ranks this season. Uraidla started with an excellent win over Meadows before losing to Aldgate in round two. Scottt Creek Ironbank have had a tough first couple of games and will be desperate to notch their first victory of 2020/21. Ladder (after round 2)Aldgate 12, Mount Lofty 12, Meadows 6, Flagstaff Hill 6, Kangarilla 6, Uraidla 6, Stirling 0, Scott Creek Ironbank 0Round 3 fixtures (home teams named first)Flagstaff Hill v MeadowsAldgate v Mount LoftyStirling v KangarillaScott Creek Ironbank v Uraidla

The Great Southern Cricket Association (GSCA) 'A' grade season begins on Saturday (31 October) with six teams competing for premiership glory. Mount Compass and Myponga have dropped out of the top tier and will play ‘B’ grade in 2020/21. There will be 10 rounds with five two-day games (70 overs) and five one-day games (40 overs), with each club playing each other on two occasions.Willunga won last years ‘A’ grade premiership after finishing as minor premiers and winning their way through to the grand final by defeating Goolwa in the qualifying final. Due to the COVID-19 situation, the grand final was unable to be played and Willunga were awarded the premiership as they had won the qualifying final. The Demons will again be the team to beat in 2020/21 and they have added some quality players to their already strong line-up. Chad Franceschini and Angus Williamson return to the club while Braden Altus and Sam Tregenza join the Demons from McLaren Districts. Luke Harding has taken over as ‘A’ grade skipper after Tye McIvor stepped down due to work and family commitments. Simon Roberts (314 runs & 40 wickets) and Luke Goldner (261 runs & 31 wickets) will once again be big keys to Willunga’s premiership quest.Goolwa finished runner-up last season and will hope to go one step further in 2020/21. Josh Jones has been appointed ‘A’ grade skipper replacing Vic Robertson. Jesse Consalvo, who captained Port Elliot last season, has joined the Magpies while former Goolwa ‘Cricketer of the Year’ Jake Kuss has returned. The Magpies have a strong bowling line up with Jones (28 wickets), James Lawrence (26), Jake Ashton-Place (17), Jayden Crees (16) and Andy Evans (15) combining for 102 wickets last season. The addition of Kuss and Consalvo will add batting depth to the Goolwa line-up and provide valuable support for Evans and Luke Giddings who made 345 and 342 runs respectively last season.Noarlunga finished third at the end of last season and had made their way through to the Preliminary Final to face Goolwa before COVID-19 struck. The Shoes will once again be led by 2019/20 GSCA ‘Cricketer of the Year’ Jason Scarff. Scarff had an excellent season in 2019/20, making 543 runs and claiming 32 wickets. Noarlunga will look to Anthony Burgess to make a significant contribution with the bat as he has done in his two seasons at the Shoes where he has compiled 1,152 runs in ‘A’ grade competition. 2018/19 premiership player Cam Bullard has returned to the club after playing last season with Southern Districts. Bullard is currently recovering from knee surgery so the club is hopeful he may play a part in the season after Christmas. Fast bowler Jamie Keers is back 'full-time' at the Shoes for the first time since the 2016/17 premiership season while Batsman Neil Reeve will also play at Noarlunga in 2020/21.Port Elliot were the big improvers last season as they played finals for the first time since 2014/15. Ultimately they were knocked out in the semi-finals by Noarlunga in a tight tussle at Rapid Bay. Darryl Mason has stepped aside as senior coach while Brodie Whitbourne has taken over as ‘A’ grade skipper, replacing the departing Jesse Consalvo. The Bloods welcome back Ben Maier after a season with Western Youth Centre along with Andrew Steele who has moved back from Melbourne. James Colley (South Road CC) and Ben Colgan (North Canberra Gunghalin CC) have joined Port Elliot for season 2020/21. Ben Griffiths had an excellent first season in the GSCA after coming over from Ashbourne, scoring 319 runs and taking 15 wickets while youngster Joel Harris, in his first full season of ‘A’ grade, made 278 runs. These two players will play a big part in Port Elliot’s season as will veteran bowler Simon Donaldson. Donaldson returned to the Bloods after a season at Bridgewater and took 23 wickets and in the process, brought up his 200th wicket for the club. Encounter Bay missed finals action last season for the first time in more than a decade and will look to bounce back immediately in 2020/21. Gun all-rounder Cam Lintern will again lead Encounter Bay this season. Lintern scored 241 runs and took 16 wickets in 2019/20 and he was ably supported with the bat by Sam Hoffmann, who had his best season since 2014/15, scoring 471 runs at an average of 47.10 to finish second in the GSCA batting aggregate. No other Encounter Bay batsman made more than 130 runs so this will be an area they’ll look to improve. on. Dillon Burns led the Bays’ bowling with 18 wickets while Chris Butler took 15 wickets in just seven games. Encounter Bay will welcome teenager Blake Bailey back to the club after a stint at Southern Districts. Bailey played second and third grade with the Stingrays in 2019/20 and will be a handy addition to the Bays’ bowling line-up.McLaren Districts finished in sixth spot last season with three wins, the most significant being a 25-run victory over Encounter Bay. David Smith led the way with the ball taking 29 wickets at 12.66 to finish third in the GSCA bowling aggregate. Smith will be looking for continued support from Bodie Wilson (14 wickets last season), Ryan McCurrach (12) and Stephen Nairn (12). The Crushers will need to improve their batting from last season with Nairn (216 runs) the only batsman to surpass 200 runs. Daniel Petrucci will once again lead the Crushers who will be looking for their first finals appearance since 2015/16. The ‘B’ grade competition will have 10 teams competing over nine rounds with a mixture of one-day (40 overs) and two-day (60 overs) games. There will be two ‘C’ grade competitions (C1 & C2) which will feature all one-day games (35 overs). These three competitions will start on Saturday November 7. Under 10’s and Under 12’s commence tomorrow (Friday 30 October) with Under 14’s and Under 16.5’s starting on Saturday (31 October).Round 1 ‘A’ grade fixtures (1-day games/home team named first)Willunga v GoolwaMcLaren Districts v Encounter BayNoarlunga v Port Elliot

The SACA Women’s Twenty20 competition started on Sunday with reigning premiers Southern Districts hosting Glenelg at Bice Oval. Southern Districts won both the first grade and second grade Twenty20 titles last season as well as the second grade (40 over) competition. Hannah Sampson has been re-appointed as Women’s High Performance Coach and the club have added new recruits in Jasmin Earl (Sturt), Shania McKinnon (Kensington) and Sharni Tansell (Sturt).The Stingrays started well against Glenelg with Kelly Armstrong taking the attack to the bowlers with a top-scoring 36 from 31 balls (4 x 4’s). Handy contributions from Jasmin Earl (15) and skipper Jess O’Reilly (14) saw the Stingrays through to a competitive total of 8/111 from their 20 overs. Mikayla Mark was the pick of the Glenelg bowlers taking 3/16 (3). The Stingrays dominated Glenelg in the run chase as they were bowled out for just 64 to give Southern Districts a 47-run win. Armstrong (3/8), Gemma Kennedy (3/8), Amy Peterson (2/4) and Callie Wilson (2/6) did all the damage with the ball. The second grade had a bye.Next week the first grade take on Sturt at Price Memorial Oval (10.30am) while the second grade face Kensington at Parkinson Oval (1.00pm).

Nairne won their first game of the 2020/21 Alexandra & Eastern Hills Cricket Association (AEHCA) season following a four-wicket victory over Bremer/Callington at Callington on Saturday. The home side batted first and were under immediate pressure as they slipped to 2/12 with Mitch Hein (1/16) and Jarrad Tait (1/16) picking up early wickets for the Razorbacks. Ajay Pundir and Amit Maina tried to resurrect the innings as they added 20 runs for the third wicket before Maina departed with the score at 3/32. Pundir was looking good until he skied a catch to mid-off off the first ball from the returning Matt Hein (1/5) and was dismissed for a top-scoring 20. The Cobras lost their last 7/35 to be bowled out for just 76 in the 33rd over. Shane Kenney (3/4), Brodie Clarke (2/6) and Nick Melvin (2/24) were the multiple wicket takers for Nairne. The visitors run chase started well as Tait (21) and Robert Crook (20) put on 39 for the first wicket and things looked very rosy for the Razorbacks. The game was turned on its head as the Cobras struck back to take 5/14 and leave Nairne scrambling at 5/53. Nick Williams was the man doing the damage as he snared the excellent figures of 4/22 (7). However, Kenney (13) and Mitch Hein (8 not out) steadied the ship to see Nairne home to victory in the 26th over to notch their first points for the season.Lobethal continued their undefeated start to the season with another crushing victory, this time by 10 wickets over Mount Barker. The Tigers bowling has been the key to their three victories with no team scoring more than a total of 78 in their three outings against their attack. Mount Barker batted first and struggled their way to 9/64 from their 35 overs. Only three batsmen reached double figures for the Kookaburras with Alex Dunbar top scoring with 19 not out (46 balls). Six Tigers bowlers took wickets including Dave Huxter (2/2), Cam Winen (2/9) and Ryan McEachern (2/10). Lobethal wasted no time in knocking off the 65 runs required for victory with Mitchell Weeks (29 not out) and skipper Ben Matthews (21 not out) taking just 11.3 overs to take the win.Langhorne Creek are also still undefeated after grinding out a 21-run win at home against Woodside. The home side batted first with Brodie O’Dea (22) and Dan Kropp (28) adding 37 runs for the opening stand. Ben Warren entered the fray once O’Dea was dismissed and he really upped the run rate with a hard-hitting 51 from just 41 balls (3 x 4’s, 1 x 6). Skipper Daniel Cleggett hit a quickfire 18 (15 balls) as Langhorne Creek posted a competitive total of 7/165 from their 35 overs. Steve Ball (2/35) was the only multiple wicket taker for Woodside and has now taken nine wickets in three games in 2020/21. Tommy Baldock (12) and Dave Wescombe got the Warriors off to a fast start with a 53-run opening partnership before Wescombe was dismissed for 39 from 33 balls (6 x 4’s). Baldock went soon after, followed by Will Dunstall (11) and Sam Pullen (2) as Woodside were soon under the pump at 4/82. Matthew Cannizzaro took the first three wickets on his way to excellent figures of 3/19 (7). Brad Collins (37 not out) and Sam Luck (26) kept Woodside’s hopes alive but ultimately they fell 21 runs short on 8/144 from their 35 overs. Cleggett (3/26) and Darcy Paech (2/30) joined Cannizzaro as multiple wicket takers for the Tigers on their way to a perfect three from three record.Strathalbyn won their second game of the season and in the process moved to third spot on the AEHCA ladder after a 47-run victory at home over Wistow. The Stallions batted first and compiled 7/168 from their 35 overs with the innings dominated by opener Luke Cousins. Cousins scored 85 from 85 balls (12 x 4’s), his second half century of the season but when he was out with the score at 5/115, Wistow had the chance to restrict the total to less than 150. Steve Schofield (27 not out) and Brayden Gaiter (26 not out) had other ideas as they got together for an excellent unbroken sixth wicket partnership worth 53 runs to get the Stallions up to their competitive total of 5/168. Ryan Watt was the only multiple wicket taker for the Echidnas with 2/34 (7). Skipper Dan Jenner (17) and Matt Chapman got Wistow off to a reasonable start with a 26-run opening stand before three quick wickets had them in all sorts of trouble at 3/28. Chapman was joined by Lachlan Elsworthy and this pair got their side back into the game somewhat with a 51-run partnership for the fourth wicket before Chapman was dismissed for 24. Elsworthy went on to top score with 44 but Wistow were restricted to 9/121 from their 35 overs to come up 47 runs short. Ben Cousins (3/26), Gaiter (2/12) and Danny Horan (2/35) the multiple wicket takers for Strathalbyn.            Hahndorf had the bye.Ladder (after round 3)Lobethal 12, Langhorne Creek 12, Strathalbyn 8, Woodside 4, Hahndorf 4, Nairne 4, Bremer/Callington 4, Mount Barker 0, Wistow 0.Round 4 fixtures (home teams named first)Nairne v StrathalbynHahndorf v Langhorne CreekMount Barker v Bremer/CallingtonWoodside v LobethalWistow has the bye

SACA Premier Cricket got underway on the weekend with Southern Districts’ Men’s first grade side taking on Port Adelaide at Bice Oval. West Indian legend Carl Hooper has been re-appointed as Senior Men’s High Performance Coach and he will be assisted by Andrew Staunton and Mal Condon as Senior Men’s Development and Specialist coaches. Staunton will also play along with new recruits Josiah Grzyb (University CC), Harshtik Bimbral (Palmerston CC), Sam Holland (Ingle Farm CC), Jibanta Sapkota (Marion CC) and Rasim Kandel (Melbourne). On Saturday at Bice Oval, Southern Districts batted first and were under early pressure as Port Adelaide opening bowler Jordan Thomas (3/45)  took two early wickets as the Stingrays slipped to 2/27. Skipper Josh Barrett was joined by Matthew Sugg and this pair set about resurrecting the innings with an excellent 144-run third wicket partnership. Barrett made a fine 92 from 129 balls (6 x 4’s, 1 x 6) while Sugg made 81 not out from 117 balls (3 x 4’s) as the home side tallied 4/233 from their 50 overs. Port Adelaide’s innings started in a similar vein to the Stingrays’ batting effort as Lewis Hatchett (1/45) and Trent Riddle (1/35) took two early wickets, including the dangerous Tom Cooper (1), to see the visitors at 2/35. Skipper Austin Umpherston was joined by Isaac Conway and they put the Magpies on course for victory with a 128-run third wicket stand. Once Umpherston was dismissed for 54 (85 balls), Conway was joined by Zac Worden (34 not out) and these two saw Port Adelaide to victory by seven wickets with 11 balls to spare. Conway went on to make 104 not out from 124 balls (9 x 4’s, 1 x 6) on his Port Adelaide debut after coming across from Melbourne this season. Tim Stewart (1/41) was the other wicket taker for the home side.The Stingrays take on Woodville in round two action this Saturday with the first grade playing at Woodville Oval. The game is a one-day match starting at 10.30am.

The Tigers are on the prowl after the second round of the Alexandra & Eastern Hills Cricket Association (AEHCA) was completed on Saturday. Lobethal and Langhorne Creek are the only undefeated teams left in the ‘A’ grade competition after both recorded solid five-wicket victories on the weekend.Lobethal’s bowlers produced another powerful display as they bowled Bremer/Callington out for just 78 at Callington Oval. Sandeep Huda was the only Cobras batsman to make a significant contribution as he compiled a quickfire 25 from 26 balls (4 x 4’s, 1 x 6). All four Lobethal bowlers took wickets with Cam Winen (4/7), Matt Martin (3/20) and Ryan McEachern (2/22) the chief destroyers. Bremer/Callington tried hard to defend their small total as they took five Tiger wickets but Mitch Weeks with 33 (46 balls) steered Lobethal home in the 22nd over. New recruits Brad Louch (3/22) and Nick Williams (2/11) battled hard with the ball for the Cobras. Langhorne Creek hosted Strathalbyn in the derby and the home side were happy to win the toss and send the Stallions in on a pitch that was offering some help for the bowlers. The move paid immediate dividends as Luke Cousins was removed without scoring and the visitors were in trouble at 1/0. Zach Reekie (28) and skipper Mark Abbott (25) steadied the ship with a solid 51-run union for the second wicket but once Reekie was dismissed, Strathalbyn lost their last 9/59 to be rolled for just 110 in the 37th over. Brodie O’Dea (2/7), Chris Russo (2/11), Darcy Paech (2/18), Troy Blackwell (2/25) and Adam Clements (2/26) were the multiple wicket takers for Langhorne Creek. The run chase was reasonably comfortable for the Creeks as they passed the total in the 32nd over for the loss of five wickets. Clements (27), Daniel Cleggett (25), Russo (18) and Brodie Whitbourne (18) all made solid contributions to the winning cause. Ben Cousins bowled well for the Stallions to claim 3/29 from his nine overs.Reigning premier Hahndorf got their first win of the season with a comfortable 97-run victory at home against Mount Barker. The Magpies batted first and compiled a competitive total of 9/185 from their 45 overs. Veteran Nick Mosey (43 not out) and Graydon Brand (41) were the main contributors for the home side with the bat with extras (24) the third highest score. Deklan Porter bowled an excellent spell to claim his best ‘A’ grade figures with 3/25 (9) while Hayden Lane snared 3/43 (9). The Kookaburras started their run chase in good style as Chris Paterson (17) and skipper Jackson Lane (13) put on an opening stand worth 31 runs. It was all downhill for the visitors after that as they lost their last 10 wickets for just 57 runs to be bowled out for 88 in the 42nd over. Vice-Captain Simon Turk battled hard to top score with 25 (39 balls). Former Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait wound back the clock to take 5/13 from his nine overs, including six maidens.Woodside also banked their first premiership points of the season with a comprehensive seven-wicket win at Wistow over the Echidnas. Wistow batted first and could only muster a total of 98 as they were bowled out in the 39th over. Skipper Dan Jenner was a standout performer for the home side as he made a fine 48. Fellow opener Matt Chapman (13) was the only other Echidnas batsman to reach double figures. Five Warriors bowlers claimed wickets including Steve Ball (3/14) and Dale Robinson (2/14). Ball leads the AEHCA bowling aggregate with seven wickets from just two games. Woodside knocked off the required runs in just 20 overs with Tommy Baldock (42) and Tom Worthington (38 not out) the top scorers. Nairne had the bye.Round three fixtures will be reduced to 35-overs per side due to the AFL grand final on Saturday (24 October).Ladder (after round 2)Lobethal 8, Langhorne Creek 8, Woodside 4, Hahndorf 4, Strathalbyn 4, Bremer/Callington 4, Nairne 0, Mount Barker 0, Wistow 0. Round 3 fixtures (home teams named first)Strathalbyn v WistowLanghorne Creek v WoodsideBremer/Callington v NairneLobethal v Mount BarkerHahndorf has the bye

Aldgate and Mount Lofty remain the only undefeated teams in the Hills Cricket Association (HCA) after round two action on Saturday. Aldgate had another convincing victory as they defeated Uraidla by nine wickets, while Mount Lofty chased down their victory target against Flagstaff Hill with 12 balls to spare.Aldgate travelled to Uraidla with both teams feeling confident after round one victories. The home side batted first and got off to an excellent start as Alex Hepinstall (28) and Ben Sheppard (21) added 40 for the first wicket before Aldgate skipper Jake Turnbull struck. Turnbull removed both openers followed by two more wickets as the Demons crumbled to 4/57. Turnbull finished with the excellent figures of 4/13 (8). He was well supported by Matty Hansen who claimed 2/25 (8). Simon Parker (22) was the only other Uraidla batsman to pass 20 as the Demons posted 9/113 from their 40 overs. Aldgate were untroubled in the run chase as Josh Callaghan (28) and Mitch Thomas (62 not out) added 82 for the first wicket before Callaghan was dismissed in the last over before drinks by Renzo Gaetan (1/24). 16 year-old Max Bilsborow was promoted to number three in the batting order and made 11 not out in his first ‘A’ grade innings for the Gaters.Mount Lofty and Flagstaff Hill were also first round winners as they clashed at Flagstaff Hill with the home side batting first. It was a cautious start by the Falcons as they inched along with Max Renfrey (22 from 61 balls) and Matt Emes (17 from 52 balls) putting on 37 for the first wicket. Once Emes was dismissed Angus Heaton (29 from 41 balls) gave the innings some impetus but no other Falcons batsman could pass 20 as the innings ended on 8/138. Adam Carthew was the pick of the Redcaps bowlers as he snared 2/18 (8) and he was well supported by Aaron Smith (3/35) and Will Healey (2/31). Mount Lofty were under immediate pressure in the run chase as Jono Coat and James Kittel-Neill were dismissed cheaply to leave Lofty reeling at 2/2. When the dangerous Smith was run out for 14, the visitors had slipped to 3/21 and the Falcons were well on top. Skipper Jordan Neis-Beer was playing a patient innings and he was joined by Bradley Hutton as this pair set about resurrecting the innings. They eventually added 92 runs for the fourth wicket in a match winning stand before Neis-Beer was dismissed for a pivotal 34 (102 balls). The undoubted star of the day was Hutton who made his first ‘A’ grade half century and finished on 74 not out from 79 balls (7 x 4’s, 2 x 6’s) as the winning runs were hit in the 38th over to give Mount Lofty a six-wicket victory.Meadows are on the board for 2020/21 following a convincing eight-wicket win at home over Stirling. The visitors batted first and compiled a seemingly competitive total of 156 before being bowled out in the 40th over. Daniel Gonzalez (34 from 48 balls) top scored for the Eagles with skipper Jack Pick (27 from 62 balls) and Jacob Kemp (23 from 39 balls) the only other Stirling batsmen to pass 20. Rohan Reid (3/27), Callan Blackwell (3/36) and Chad Dawe (2/19) were the multiple wicket takers for the home side. Meadows got off to a fast start through Haydn Reid (25 from 27 balls) and the returning Luke Tonkin who added a rapid 76 for the first wicket. Skipper Rohan Reid joined Tonkin as the score raced past 100 before Tonkin was dismissed for 57 from 49 balls (8 x 4’s, 2 x 6’s). Rohan Reid continued on his merry way to bring up his half century before finishing on 66 not out from 52 balls (11 x 4’s, 1 x 6) as the winning runs were brought up in just the 23rd over. Jack Pick (1/12) and Myles Collins (1/23) were the wicket takers for Stirling.Kangarilla also notched their first win of the season as they travelled to Cherry Gardens to take on Scott Creek Ironbank (SCIB). Kangarilla batted first and got off to a good start through the in-form Steve Featherstone and Jono Makai who put on 57 for the first wicket before Makai was dismissed for 26 from 28 balls (2 x 4’s, 2 x 6’s). Featherstone continued on to record his second consecutive half century before being dismissed for 56 from 85 balls (2 x 4’s, 2 x 6’s). A score of 200+ appeared possible for the visitors but Scott Creek Ironbank hit back to take the last five wickets for just 18 runs as Kangarilla were dismissed in the last over for 180. Skipper Che Martinsen was the last man out for 37 (41 balls). Danny Coleman (3/45), Beua Thomas (3/45) and Nathan Abbott (2/4) were the multiple wicket takers for SCIB. The run chased started disastrously for the home side as they crumbled to 3/6. Darcy Campbell (15) and veteran Andy Adams tried to resurrect the innings but the damage was done as SCIB were bowled out for 122 in the 35th over. Adams played a lone hand with a fine 48 from 65 balls (5 x 4’s, 3 x 6’s). Ben McGowan provided some entertainment towards the end of the innings with a quickfire 21 from 22 balls (5 x 4’s). Martinsen continued his great day to snare 4/16 (8) and he was supported by teenager Ben Evans who took 3/26 (8).The competition will take a break next Saturday (24 October) for the AFL grand final with round three games scheduled for Saturday 31 October.Ladder (after round 2)Aldgate 12, Mount Lofty 12, Meadows 6, Flagstaff Hill 6, Kangarilla 6, Uraidla 6, Stirling 0, Scott Creek Ironbank 0 Round 3 fixtures (home teams named first)Flagstaff Hill v MeadowsAldgate v Mount LoftyStirling v KangarillaScott Creek Ironbank v Uraidla

Ben Warren had a day out last Saturday at Nairne to lead Langhorne Creek to a five wicket win over the Razorbacks during round one action of the Alexandra & Eastern Hills Cricket Association (HCA). The home side won the toss and batted first with the returning Jarrad Tait getting the Razorbacks off to a good start with a hard-hitting 52 (56 balls). Tait and skipper Luke Timmins added 66 runs for the third wicket as Nairne progressed nicely to 2/122. Warren (3/23) then took three wickets in four balls to reduce the home side to 5/122 and the Tigers were on top. Timmins continued on to make a fine 57 (70 balls). Nick Melvin chipped in with a quickfire 23 (15 balls) before Nairne were bowled out for a competitive total of 202 in the 41st over. Troy Blackwell (3/48) was the other multiple wicket taker for Langhorne Creek. The Tigers got off to a fast start through Chris Russo (38 off 46 balls) and Adam Clements (21 off 15 balls) as they added 35 for the first wicket. Warren entered the fray at 2/67 and completely dominated the innings with his 13th century for the Creeks as he smashed his way to 101 not out from just 64 balls (6 x 4’s, 10 x 6’s). The game was still in the balance at 5/121 but Jacob Tonkin (21 not out) helped add an unbeaten 82 runs for the sixth wicket with Warren as Langhorne Creek knocked off the winning runs in the 34th over. Tait (2/33) and Chad Harrop (2/49) were the pick of the bowlers for Nairne.Bremer-Callington won a thrilling contest at Woodside by 10 runs to get their 2020/21 season off to a perfect start. The Cobras had five players making their ‘A’ grade debuts for the club with Ajay Pandir (42), Sandeep Kumar Huda (29) and Amit Maina (21) all making handy contributions with the bat. Johhny Fitzgerald (30) and Pandir added 60 runs for the fourth wicket and at 3/115, the Cobras were eyeing off a score of around 200. Once Pandir was dismissed the visitors lost their last seven wickets for just 50 runs to be bowled out for 165 in the 40th over. Steve Ball (4/40), Chris Baschiera (3/21) and Dale Robinson (2/21) were the multiple wicket takers for Woodside. The Warriors were under pressure immediately with Will Dunstall (21) the only batsman in the top five to make double figures as the home side slipped to a precarious 5/43. Sam Pullen (42) and Baschiera (30) got the Warriors back on track with a 75-run sixth wicket stand which took them within 48 runs of victory before Pullen and Baschiera were dismissed leaving Woodside at 7/126. Shane Collins tried hard with an important 23 but it wasn’t quite enough as they were bowled out for 155 in the 44th over. Five Cobra bowlers took wickets including Brad Clements (3/25), Kumar Huda (2/25) and Maina (2/27).Strathalbyn defeated Hahndorf by 56 runs at Hahndorf Oval in a rematch of last season’s qualifying final. The Stallions batted first and Luke Cousins and new recruit Zach Reekie added 64 for the first wicket before Reekie was dismissed for 22. Cousins was joined by skipper Mark Abbott (32) and this pair put on 84 for the second wicket as Strathalbyn got into a commanding position at 1/148. Both players were dismissed at this score with Cousins going for an excellent 80 from 109 balls and the innings stalled as the visitors were restricted to 9/197 from their 45 overs. Benny Montgomerie (3/22) and Michael Shanahan (3/29) were the multiple wicket takers for the Magpies. Hahndorf were never really in the hunt in the run chase with only Greg Hassold (40) and Shaun Tait (23) passing 20 as the reigning premiers were bowled out for 141. Matt Hein (3/23), Ben Cousins (3/24) and Brayden Gaiter (2/260 were the main destroyers for the Stallions.Lobethal made light work of a disappointing Wistow outfit to win their round one clash by 10 wickets at Lobethal Oval. Wistow batted first and were bowled out for just 67 in the 38th over. David Kinlough (27) and skipper Dan Jenner (10) were the only Echidnas to make it to double figures. All six Lobethal bowlers took wickets with Matt Martin (2/13) and Mitch Weeks (2/15) the multiple wicket takers. The Tigers wasted no time in knocking off the runs with Weeks (40 not out) and skipper Ben Matthews (20 not out) getting to the target in just the 14th over.Round 2 fixtures (home teams named first)Langhorne Creek v StrathalbynHahndorf v Mount BarkerWistow v WoodsideBremer-Callington v WoodsideNairne has the bye

Uraidla celebrated their return to ‘A’ grade ranks in the Hills Cricket Association (HCA) with an upset 54-run win over Meadows in round one action at Uraidla Oval. The Demons spent last season in the A2 competition and had four players making their ‘A’ grade debut in Mitch Makings, Mitch Ireland, George Bond and Ben Padfield. Meadows won the toss and sent the home side in and Uraidla got off to a solid start with Alex Heptinstall (22) and Ben Sheppard (20) adding 33 for the first wicket. Makings made a handy 18 on debut but at 4/80, the innings could have gone either way. The experienced Ryan Hunter (18) joined skipper Simon Parker and this pair put on an important 46 runs for the fifth wicket before Renzo Gaetan (12 not out) and Parker added an undefeated 37 runs for the sixth wicket to lift Uraidla to 5/163 at the end of their 40 overs. Parker played an excellent innings to finish with 49 not out (49 balls). Max Buckley was the only multiple wicket taker for Meadows with 2/40 from his eight overs. Uraidla opened the bowling with Bond (2/5) and Parker (1/18) and they gained early success as debutant Bond removed Lachlan Paterson (2) followed by the prized wicket of Rohan Reid (2) to leave the Bulldogs reeling at 2/17. Worse was to follow as Meadows slipped to 4/27. A comeback mission was mounted by veterans Haydn Reid (34) and Chad Dawe (17) as they added 39 for the fifth wicket but once they were dismissed, the end came quickly as Meadows were bowled out for just 109 in the 32nd over. Gaetan (3/18) and Thomas Bassett (2/16) were the other multiple wicket takers.Aldgate got their 2020/21 campaign off to a winning start with a convincing 111-run win at Cherry Gardens against Scott Creek Ironbank (SCIB). Aldgate batted first and got off to a fantastic start as Mitch Thomas and Josh Callaghan added 151 for the opening wicket. Callaghan played the sheet anchor role with 40 from 91 balls, leaving the way open for Thomas to make his first century with an excellent 113 from 118 balls (14 x 4’s, 2 x 6’s). Thomas punished the loose balls and played some excellent straight and cover drives. He was almost run out on 99 after a mix up with skipper Jake Turnbull which saw them both stuck in the middle of the pitch, but a fielding error saw Thomas home safe to register his ton. Aldgate finished with a daunting total of 5/213 from their 40 overs. Veteran Andy Adams was the standout bowler for SCIB as he took 1/25 from his eight overs. Scott Creek Ironbank were never in the run chase as Aldgate shared the wickets around. Darcy Campbell (27), Ethan Dinning (20) and Adams (18) were best with the bat for SCIB. Matty Hansen (4/17) took up from where he left off last season when he won the A1 bowling trophy. Hansen was well supported by new recruit Jack Woollard (2/18) and 14 year old debutant Thomas McCourt (2/28), as the home side fell for 102 in the 34th over.Flagstaff Hill caused another round one upset by defeating Stirling at Flagstaff Hill. The home side batted first and battled their way to a competitive total of 9/154 from their 40 overs thanks to some handy contributions from Stephen Wheatland (31), Angus Heaton (26) and Oliver Styles (23). Wheatland and Styles came together with the Falcons in strife at 5/77 and put on a pivotal 47 runs for the sixth wicket. Ned Hopgood (4/24) and Jacob Kemp (3/24) were the stars with the ball for Stirling. The visitors innings started disastrously as they slumped to 3/5 and it never really recovered as they bowled out for a paltry total of just 92 from 31 overs. Pete Fryer, batting at number nine, was the only Eagle to pass 20 as he finished on 28 not out. James Patterson (3/16), Max Renfrey (2/17) and Jack Walton (2/22) were multiple wicket takers for the Falcons who gave new skipper Jacob Lemon the perfect start to his tenure.In the tightest match of the round, Mount Lofty ground out an impressive three wicket win over Kangarilla at Heathfield Oval. Kangies were the big improvers last season as they finished in the top four for the first time since moving to the HCA back in the 2014/15 season while the Redcaps finished fifth last season. Kangarilla batted first and their innings was held together by opening batsman Steve Featherstone who made a patient 73 from 99 balls (6 x 4’s, 1 x 6). No other batsman in the top seven managed more than 10 and at 6/100, things looked bad for the visitors. Brodie May (33) joined Featherstone and this pair lifted the score to 6/162 and a total of close to 200 looked possible. Enter Max Hawke who claimed the last four wickets to finish with the incredible figures of 6/10 (5.5). It was Hawke’s first ever five-wicket haul as Kangarilla were bowled out for 166 in the 38th over. Mount Lofty started well with James Kittel-Neill and new recruit Jono Coat (12) adding 34 for the first wicket before skipper Jordan Neis-Beer joined Kittel-Neill in a 68-run second wicket partnership which saw Lofty reach 1/102 and seemingly into a winnable position. Kittel-Neill was dismissed for a fine 50 (64 balls) followed by Neis-Beer for 35 and all of a sudden the Redcaps lost 6/35 to be in trouble at 7/137. Aaron Smith (34 not out) was still there and holding the innings together and he got an ally in veteran Dave Bennett (11 not out) and these two lifted their team over the line in the 39th over. Cole Davy (2/23) and Featherstone (2/30) were the multiple wicket takers for Kangarilla.

The Great Southern Bowls Association (GSBA) Open Pennant season gets underway tomorrow (10 October). There are six divisions in Saturday Open Pennant for the 2020/21 season. The Women’s Pennant has three divisions that play on Thursday mornings, starting on the 15th of October.GSBA Open Pennant Division 1 fixtures (Saturday 10 October - 1.15pm)Goolwa White v StrathalbynEncounter Bay v McLaren ValePort Elliot v Victor Harbor WhiteVictor Harbor Blue v YankalillaWillunga v Goolwa BlackGSBA Women’s Pennant Division 1 fixtures (Thursday 15 October - 10.00am)Encounter Bay v GoolwaMcLaren Vale v YankalillaPort Elliot v Victor HarborWillunga v Myponga

The Alexandra & Eastern Hills Cricket Association (AEHCA) ‘A’ grade season gets underway on Saturday (10 October) with nine teams battling it out for the premiership. This will be the third consecutive season the ‘A’ grade competition will feature nine teams and once again it will be a 45-over one-day format.Hahndorf won their first ‘A’ grade flag since 2001/02 last season after being the highest ranked qualifier for the grand final. The decider against Langhorne Creek wasn’t played due to the COVID-19 situation therefore the Magpies were declared premiers. They had qualified for the grand final by defeating minor premier Strathalbyn in the qualifying final. Ryan Trafford-Walker has taken over as ‘A’ grade skipper from Kris Dawe while Jarrad Tait has returned to Nairne after two successful seasons at Pine Avenue. Veteran batsmen Andrew Baker (515 runs) and Greg Hassold (321 runs) led the way with the bat for the Magpies and they were ably supported by the consistent Graydon Brand who scored 314 runs. Hahndorf has good depth in its bowling stocks with Caleb Blesing, Michael Shanahan, Benny Montgomerie and Lachlan Huxtable combining for 72 wickets last season.2018/19 premier Langhorne Creek made their way into the 2019/20 grand final with wins against Lobethal and Strathalbyn in the finals series. The chance for back-to-back flags in a rematch with Hahndorf was beckoning until the season was abandoned. The Tigers are sure to be around the mark again this season and have been buoyed by last season’s boom recruit Brodie O’Dea, being cleared ‘full time’ from Pekina/Carrieton Cricket Club. O’Dea played eight games last season and scored 346 runs at 49.43 and also snared 15 wickets at 13.60. Last season's leading run scorer Nathan Wundersitz, who scored 476 runs, won’t be available every week while Brad Clements has moved to Bremer-Callington. Matt Tonkin will lead the Tigers ‘A’ grade for a seventh season. Troy Blackwell will again lead the attack after taking 26 wickets last season and veteran Ben Warren will look to add to his incredible career tallies of 626 wickets and 8,275 runs. 15 year old Riley Tonkin should get an opportunity at some stage during the season and Daniel Kropp will also look forward to more opportunities. Strathalbyn’s ‘A’ grade premiership drought continues after the 2019/20 minor premier went out of the AEHCA finals in ‘straight sets’ at the hands of Hanhdorf and Langhorne Creek. The Stallions held down top spot for the second half of the season but couldn’t get over the line in the finals and they’ll be driven to go at least one step further in 2020/21. Veteran Nathan Pelle will be a big loss both on and off the field as he has headed overseas but the Stallions have brought in a couple of handy recruits. 20 year old opening batsman Zach Reekie joins the club from the Adelaide Cricket Club. Reekie has played ‘A’ grade district cricket and will be an excellent addition. Matt Harris has also joined the club from Ashbourne. Harris is a 21year old all-rounder who is keen to test himself at ‘A’ grade level. Mark Abbott will continue as skipper for a seventh consecutive season and as usual, his all-round talent will be a big factor for the Stallions. Strathalbyn’s bowling  got them out of trouble in many games last season with Brayden Gaiter (34), Matt Hein (32) and Matt Abbott (31) taking 97 wickets between them so batting is an area they will be keen to improve on and with Reekie joining Mark Abbott, Matt Abbott and Luke Cousins in the top order they look very strong.Lobethal was a real success story of 2019/20. After losing their first three games of the season, the Tigers went through the rest of the minor round undefeated before falling to Langhorne Creek by 34 runs in the elimination final. Ben Matthews will once again lead the youthful Tigers and they’ll welcome back former premiership captain Kristan Georgiou as well as Josh Birtles, who has joined the Tigers from Mt Torrens/Charleston. Birtles has taken 70 ‘A’ grade wickets in the past four seasons for the Torrens Valley Cricket Association (TVCA) club. Matthews (409 runs), Mitchell Weeks (365) and Daniel Norsworthy (341) were the mainstays of the batting lineup last season and they’ll once again be a key to Lobethal’s success. The bowling stocks look good as well with Dave Huxter, James Elliott, Matt Martin and Weeks combining for 86 wickets last season and they will be boosted by the addition of Birtles in 2020/21. Look for the Tigers to continue their improvement this season. After appearing in finals action in all eight seasons since coming across from the TVCA, Woodside surprisingly missed out on the major round last season after losing three of their last four games. Brad Collins will once again lead the Warriors who will be desperate to return to major round action. Veteran Dave Wescombe had another excellent season with the bat in 2019/20 as he scored 557 runs at 46.42 to win the AEHCA batting aggregate. He was well supported by Will Worthington (299 runs) and Tommy Baldock (293 runs). The Warriors will look to these three batsmen and hopefully some other useful contributors to post a winning score. With the ball, Dale Robinson led the way with 20 wickets while Chris Basciera snared 19 scalps. The Warriors will hope Shane Collins, who took 12 wickets last season, will return to his best form which saw him take 150 wickets in the previous five seasons after crossing from Nairne.  After winning nine premierships in 10 seasons, Nairne has gone through a bit of a ‘rebuilding’ phase in the past couple of years after losing a huge amount of premiership experience. They have remained competitive finishing fifth in 2018/19 and sixth in 2019/20. The Razorbacks will be buoyed by the return of Jarrad Tait after he spent the past two seasons at Hahndorf. Tait will take up a mentoring role as well as being a key part of the ‘A’ grade. Brodie Clarke also returns after captaining Sturt in the SACA under 16 competition and Shane Kenney, who only played a few games last season, will be available. Veteran fast bowler Michael Harden has hung up the boots after playing in four premierships and taking 189 wickets for the Razorbacks. Luke Timmins will once again skipper the ‘A’ grade and he’ll look to lead by example as he did in 2019/20 when he scored 358 runs for the season. Timmins will hope Robert Crook can continue on from a career-best season where he scored 435 runs including two centuries to finish sixth in the AEHCA batting aggregate. Sam Rowe (17 wickets), Chad Harrop (16) and the ever reliable Mitch Hein (15) led the wicket takers for Nairne last season and these three will be complemented by the returning Tait who is recognised as one of the best bowlers in the competition. Bremer-Callington had a disappointing 2019/20 campaign, winning just three games and finishing in seventh position on the ladder. The Cobras have been active in the off-season adding a number of recruits including Nick Williams from Port Adelaide, Sam Rushe (Jervois), Brad Louch (Meadows), Brad Clements (Langhorne Creek) and three players from Mawson Lakes in Amit Maina, Ajay Pundir and Sandeep Huda. Stewart Leigh has been appointed ‘A’ grade skipper for 2020/21. Johnny Fitzgerald (346 runs) and Arsalan Eubaid (292) led the way with the bat last season but no other Cobra made more than 200 runs for the season so this will be a major focus in 2020/21. Nathan Fitzgerald took 21 wickets last season to finish in the top-10 on the AEHCA wicket takers list but he needs more support and with the new recruits he may well get it. There’s plenty happening at Callington with a new turf wicket being put in this season meaning both ovals will have turf facilities, an electronic scoreboard has been installed and new clubrooms are being built as we speak. Mount Barker will embark on their third season back in ‘A’ grade ranks with a new coach in Brad Horsell. Horsell joined the Kookaburras last season after playing stints at Port Districts and Belair and made a whopping 1,054 runs in the ‘B’ grade competition. Simon Turk, Rhys Paterson and Jackson Lane will form the ‘A’ grade leadership group in 2020/21. Turk joined the ‘Burras last season and had an immediate impact scoring 382 runs and taking 10 wickets in a fine all-round display. Wayne Buckland scored 300 runs last season but he has ‘temporarily’ retired and Rhys Paterson managed just 213 runs for 2019/20, but he’s a classy player and should score more runs this season. Teenager Hayden Lane really stepped up in just his second season in ‘A’ grade company to lead the ‘Burras bowling attack with 18 wickets for the season and the youngster should improve further with experience.Wistow are looking for a much improved 2020/21 season after posting just one victory last season. The Echidnas are celebrating their 125th anniversary and hopefully this will inspire the young playing group to greater heights. Gun all-rounder Dan Jenner will once again lead Wistow. Jenner has made 2,898 runs and taken 112 wickets in his five seasons on the ‘hill’ at Wistow and is one of the best players in AEHCA ranks. David Kinlough with 350 runs and Lachlan Elsworthy, who has taken 88 wickets over the past four seasons, will need to step up once again. In good news for the Echidnas, top order batsman Matt Chapman is back from a serious knee injury and will be raring to go and they have also picked up an extra bowler in Josh Fidler from Mount Lofty. Fidler only played a couple of games at Heathfield last season after coming up from Mount Gambier. Fidler has a good record in the Mount Gambier competition having most recently played for North Gambier. Wistow will once again focus on bringing on their youth, having played at least half a dozen ‘colts’ in ‘A’ grade last season. The Echidnas also have three senior sides for the first time in a while which is a good sign for the future.Round 1 fixtures (home team named first)Hahndorf v StrathalbynNairne v Langhorne CreekLobethal v WistowWoodside v Bremer/CallingtonMount Barker has the bye

The Hills Cricket Association (HCA) season gets underway on Saturday (10 October) with eight clubs chasing ‘A’ grade premiership glory. The competition has undergone a major overhaul in the off-season with two-day cricket going the way of the dinosaurs, to be replaced by a one-day competition comprising 16 rounds. Matches will be 40-overs per side with fielding restrictions for the first 10 overs, where only two fielders are allowed outside the ‘fielding circle’. There will be ‘legside’ wides where any ball passing 30cm outside the leg stump will need to be re-bowled, along with free hits for front-foot no balls. After finishing on the bottom of the ladder last season, Bridgewater has dropped to the A2 competition while Scott Creek Ironbank and Uraidla have rejoined ‘A’ grade ranks after a two season and one season absence respectively.After winning 12 of the past 15 ‘A’ grade premierships, Meadows will again be one of the teams to beat. Rohan Reid is back for a third stint as captain this season as 2019/20 captain Brad Dawe has moved to the Goodwood Cricket Club in the Adelaide Turf Cricket Association. Brad Louch has moved to Bremer-Callington while Matthew Pethick has decided not to play in 2020/21. The Bulldogs are hopeful multiple-premiership opening bowler Gus Frazer will return this season and they will welcome some new players including Dan Ryan and Jayde Wheadon who have moved into the area. With some experience going out of the team, it will give more opportunity to some young players in Oscar Tydeman, Will Bevan-Giles and Cade Long. Rohan and Haydn Reid will once again play a big role with the bat for Meadows and there’s no doubt the reigning premiers will be around the mark as always.2018/19 premier Aldgate finished second last season and have kept their playing list pretty much intact and have added a key recruit in Jack Woollard from the Palmer Cricket Club. Woollard captained Palmer to the Torrens Valley Cricket Association (TVCA) grand final last season and in the past five seasons in the TVCA, has taken 111 ‘A’ grade wickets. Jake Turnbull has taken over as senior coach and will continue as ‘A’ grade skipper for a third season. Youngsters such as Jake Bilsborow, Harry Morbey, Will Quigley-Smith and Angas Wauchope will put their hand up to add to their ‘A’ grade experience from the past couple of seasons. HCA ‘Cricketer of the Year’ Frank Clements (467 runs and 11 wickets) will once again be a huge part of the Gaters premiership hopes along with left-arm swing bowler Matty Hansen who had a breakout 2019/20 campaign taking 28 wickets to win the A1 bowling aggregate.Stirling had another solid season finishing third in 2019/20, their third top-four finish in a row. The Eagles will once again be led by top order batsman Jack Pick and they will be looking for their young players such as Myles Collins, Jack Read, Jacob Kemp and Ned Hopgood to take another step forward. A strong crop of last season’s under 16’s including Bayley James, Charlie Fryer and Kurt Zytnik will also push for ‘A’ grade selection. Top order batsman, Ben Zampa, will also play some part in the season despite now living in Sydney. Daniel Gonzalez (300 runs) and Pete Fryer (23 wickets) led the Eagles statistically in 2019/20 and they’ll be big keys to the Eagles’ success this season.Kangarilla made huge strides last season to secure their first top-four finish since joining the HCA ranks for the 2014/15 season. ‘Kangies’ recruited well with players such as Cole Davy and Carlos Venter having a positive impact on the club. The one-day format should complement Kangarilla’s playing style with players such as Jono Makai, Steve Featherstone and Davy capable of scoring quickly. Che Martinsen will once again lead Kangarilla and he is a proven all-rounder while Matthew Bertelsmeier will look to add to his fine season in 2019/20 where he scored 352 runs and finished fifth overall in the HCA batting aggregate.The boys from Yaroona Oval have added talented teenager Lachlan Knight to their playing list for the upcoming season. Knight played senior cricket with Southern Districts last season and also played under 16’s for Scott Creek Ironbank where he scored 456 runs at an average of 91.20. Kangarilla would be confident they can continue their improvement from last season into 2020/21.Mount Lofty narrowly missed out on finals action by just half a game in 2019/20 and they’ll be determined to rectify that this season. Once again the Redcaps will be led by top order batsman Jordan Neis-Beer. Neis-Beer led the Mount Lofty batting last season with 243 runs and will look to players such as Nick Justice, James Kittel-Neill and Josh Healey to produce more support with the bat. Adam Carthew will once again lead the attack as he has done for the past five seasons where he has taken 109 wickets in the A1 competition, including 21 scalps last season. Carthew showed his class last season with a match-winning 6/39 in the Meyer Shield final against Great Southern. Former West Torrens cricketer Aaron Smith joined the Redcaps for the second half of last season and will continue in 2020/21. Smith showed signs of what the Lofty boys hope will be a regular occurence when he top scored (54 not out from 61 balls) against Meadows in the final match last season.Flagstaff Hill had to win their final match of last season to avoid the dreaded wooden spoon and there have been plenty of changes in the Falcons nest in the off-season. Club champion Kyle Petty and opening batsman Will Goulding have departed for Flinders Park in the Adelaide Turf competition while Mick Taylor has left as coach to take up a role with the Coromandel Cricket Club. The Falcons have brought in former player Marty Clifton as senior coach and he brings a wealth of experience in coaching and will be a key to the Falcons growing and developing their young players in what the club has described as a rebuilding phase. Club stalwart Jacob Lemon has been appointed as ‘A’ grade skipper and he is joined in the leadership group by Max Renfrey, Steve Wheatland and Jack Walton. Scott Creek Ironbank are back in the A1 competition for the first time since the 2017/18 season. SCIB has won the past two A2 premierships and with Bridgewater going down, they were asked by the HCA to come up. Unfortunately they will be without their captain and leading run scorer from last season in Adam Shearwood who succumbed to a knee injury over winter. Shearwood scored 574 runs at 63.78 in 2019/20 so he will be a big loss. Veteran all-rounder Andy Adams scored 228 runs and took 11 wickets last season and he will be a big key to his club’s fortunes along with Thomas Watton who made 218 runs and took 15 wickets in 2019/20. Scott Creek Ironbank will look to their young players to step up to ‘A’ grade standard and if Ben McGowan can recapture his bowling form from the first half of the 2010’s when he was one of the best opening bowlers in the competition, SCIB could be a dangerous proposition. In off-field news, the club will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the merger between Scott Creek and Ironbank cricket clubs.Uraidla are also back in ‘A’ grade ranks after a one year hiatus in A2 where they finished second at the end of the minor round. Alex Hepstinall had a standout season in ‘B’ grade ranks as he led the association with 794 runs at 61.08 and he will be the key to Uraidla making defendable totals in ‘A’ grade. Ben Sheppard (381 runs), Michael Parker (298 runs) and Simon Parker (298 runs) will also be important players for Uraidla. On the bowling front, Renzo Gaetan is a proven performer as is Simon Parker. Youngster George Bond stepped up to ‘B’ grade last season and took 12 wickets and he will continue to improve with experience. Round 1 fixtures (home team named first)Uraidla v MeadowsScott Creek Ironbank v AldgateFlagstaff Hill v StirlingMount Lofty v Kangarilla

Langhorne Creek have won their third ‘A’ grade premiership in a row following a convincing 61-point triumph over Encounter Bay in the Great Southern Football League (GSFL) grand final at Langhorne Creek on Saturday. The game was a rematch of the second semi-final where the Hawks prevailed by a point and on a hot spring day, that week off proved to be vital for the reigning back-to-back premiers. Encounter Bay got off to the perfect start as their skipper, Tyson Neale kicked the first goal of the match but Langhorne Creek bounced back quickly with two goals of their own. The Bays finished the quarter well as they added three more goals through James Bradford, Andrew Fyfe and Callum Tonkin to take a handy 13-point lead into the first break. The Creeks had use of the slight breeze blowing to the southern end in the second quarter and they started well with playing-coach James Sellar taking a contested mark and converting before Gary Karpany answered quickly with his first major for the Bays. The Hawks started to get on top as they kicked the next three goals to hit the front before Karpany levelled things up with an excellent set shot from a tight angle in the forward pocket. With five minutes left in the first half the scores were all locked up at 7.5 (47) apiece and with seven lead changes already, we were set up for a classic. The reigning premier had other ideas as they slammed on three late goals through Mitch Cleggett, his third for the term, Jake Dominish and Matt Dominish to take an 18-point lead at halftime, 10.5 (65) to 7.5 (47). Encounter Bay were still well and truly in the game and needed to make use of the breeze to the southern end in the ‘premiership quarter’. The term became a real arm wrestle, just as Langhorne Creek would’ve wanted, and the Hawks managed to kick three goals to one and turn for home with a 27-point lead and a vocal home crowd behind them. Sellar limped off the ground halfway through the third term which sent a scare through the Langhorne Creek camp but he was back on in the last quarter to kick a further two goals as the Creeks ran away with the game booting eight goals to two to win 21.6 (132) to 10.11 (71). The Hawks kicked an incredible 11.1 after halftime. Sellar finished with four goals for Langhorne Creek and he was ably supported by Mitch Cleggett, Lachie McGregor and Matt Tonkin who all kicked three goals. Karpany and Josh Graham each kicked two goals for the Bays. Matt Tonkin played a fantastic game to be named best on ground. Joining him in the Hawks best players were Matt Dominish, Tom Derham, Alex Cleggett, Troy Blackwell and Ben Arbon. Best players for Encounter Bay were Bradford, Thomas Neville, Wade Sweetman, Josh Marshall and Fyfe.In the reserve grade, Langhorne Creek got the day off to a great start on their home deck as they held out a brave McLaren Eagles outfit to win by a point, 6.3 (39) to 5.8 (38). The Hawks didn’t kick a goal in the second half and McLaren did all the attacking in the last quarter but could only manage a wayward 1.4 for the term as the Hawks held on. Graydon Brand was a tower of strength all day for the winners to be named best on ground.The senior colts and junior colts grand finals were played yesterday at Strathalbyn with Goolwa/Port Elliot completing an undefeated season with a 39-point win over Willunga while Encounter Bay defeated Willunga by 12 points in the senior colts.

Willunga has pulled off an upset for the ages by defeating the seemingly unbeatable Victor Harbor by seven goals in the Great Southern Netball Association (GSNA) League grand final on Saturday. Victor were gunning for a fifth consecutive title while Willunga were hoping to overturn the 2019 result, when Victor Harbor prevailed by six goals, and win their first GSNA League title. The reigning premier were overwhelming favourites as they had won the clashes between these two teams in 2020 by a whopping 46 and 47 goals! Strange things can happen in finals and so it transpired on Saturday as after a tight opening quarter saw Willunga lead by a goal, Victor hit back to lead by five goals at halftime. The game took a decisive turn in the final quarter when Victor Harbor’s Sarah Chigwidden was sent off leaving them with six players and later Taylor McKinnon was also sent from the court to leave Victor with just five players as Willunga surged to a 68-61 victory. Willunga Goal Attack Nicole Lander topped off a great day to be adjudged best on court.Victor Harbor had some joy earlier in the day when they took out the Senior 2 title with a 48-44 win over Langhorne Creek.

Encounter Bay will face off with reigning premier Langhorne Creek on Saturday in the Great Southern Football League (GSFL) grand final after defeating Willunga by 40 points in the preliminary final at Victor Harbor on Saturday. Langhorne Creek will be gunning for a third consecutive ‘A’ grade flag while Encounter Bay last won in 2015. It was an even first quarter on Saturday with each side kicking three goals and Willunga taking a three point lead into quarter time. In the second term, the Bays continued their perfect record in front of goal as they pushed ahead to lead by eight points at halftime, 6.0 (36) to 4.4 (28). It was anyone’s game at halftime but the third quarter, as it so often does, proved crucial as Encounter Bay kicked four goals to one and took a very handy 28-point lead to three quarter time. Willunga had the aid of the breeze in the last quarter so there was still some hope but Encounter Bay snuffed out any chance the Demons had as they slammed on another five goals to two in the final stanza to win 15.2 (92) to 7.10 (52). The sides had the same amount of scoring shots but the Bays accuracy proved the difference. Tyson Neale kicked five goals for the victors and Nick Marshall kicked three. Mitch Portlock and Braden Altus each kicked two goals for Willunga. James Bradford, Callum Tonkin, Wade Sweetman, Neale and Hamish Tonkin were named in the best players for Encounter Bay while for Willunga, their best were James Collier, Lachlan Scott, Nick Scanlan, Brett Miegel and Jake Standfield. It’s all set up for a fantastic clash in the 'A' grade grand final at Langhorne Creek on Saturday and hopefully we get a similar match to when these two sides met in the second semi-final when Langhorne Creek prevailed by a point. Bring it on!Grand Final fixtures (Saturday @ Langhorne Creek)‘A’ grade: Langhorne Creek v Encounter Bay (2.00pm)Reserves: McLaren v Langhorne Creek (12.15pm)Grand Final fixtures (Sunday @ Strathalbyn)Senior Colts: Encounter Bay v Willunga (12.30pm)Junior Colts: Goolwa/Port Elliot v Willunga (10.30am)

Flagstaff Hill won their fifth straight ‘A’ grade premiership in the Southern Football League (SFL) following a comprehensive 66-point victory over Noarlunga on Saturday at Flinders University Stadium. ‘Flaggies’ had a dominant season winning all 11 games in 2020 by an average of 67 points. The game was all but over at quarter time after the Falcons came out firing to kick nine goals to one and take a commanding 51-point lead into quarter time. Noarlunga were shell shocked but to their credit they kept pace with the reigning premier in the second term to kick three goals each but the margin increased slightly to 53 points at the long break. Flagstaff Hill could smell victory and an incredible five consecutive titles and they put the game well and truly to bed in the third quarter as they kicked four goals to one and turned for home with an unassailable 73-point lead. The Shoes kept trying to the bitter end as they kicked four goals to two in the last quarter to reduce the margin slightly, with the final score being Flagstaff Hill 18.13 (121) to Noarlunga 9.1 (55). David Kearsley from Flagstaff Hill won the James Warren Best on Ground Medal. He was joined in the best players for the Falcons by Sam Tharaldsen, Brad Patterson, Ben Rossi, Chris Puiatti and Daniel Webb. Best for the Shoes were Vic Robertson, Reece Martell, Zac Williams, Sam Carlyle and Ben Goldfinch. As they have done all season, Flaggies shared the goals around with 10 different goal kickers including Daniel Butcher (4) and Sam Smith (3). Robertson and Martell each kicked three goals for Noarlunga.In other grades, Flagstaff Hill won the ‘B’ grade in a tight one by seven points over Noarlunga and the under 17.5 grand final was also won by the Falcons who defeated Happy Valley by 11 points. At Port Noarlunga on Friday night, Reynella defeated Christies Beach by 23 points in the under 15’s decider while Reynella also tasted premiership success in the under 13’s as they defeated Cove by seven points.

Noarlunga are through to their second grand final in a row following a 15-point win over Christies Beach in the Southern Football League (SFL) preliminary final on Saturday. The Shoes made a slow start to the season after dropping their opening two games but they’ve turned their form around as they head into a grand final rematch with the imposing Flagstaff Hill lineup. Noarlunga led at every change by seven points at quarter time, six points at halftime and 13 points at the last change before winning 13.10 (88) to 11.7 (73). Vic Robertson was a star up forward for the Shoes as he kicked seven goals in a best on ground performance. He was well supported by Tom Caudle who kicked four majors. Blake Carter also kicked four goals for Christies Beach and James Pratt kicked three. Joining Robertson in the best players for Noarlunga were Zac Williams, Nathan Schulz, Sammual Miller, Caudle and Sam Carlyle. SFL Mail Medalist Michael Mazey was best for the Saints and he was ably supported by Shaun Tanner, Josiah Sheppard, Carter, Pratt and Ryan Parry. So in a mirror image of the 2019 decider when Noarlunga were undefeated and Flagstaff Hill were the challenger, in 2020 the Falcons haven’t lost and will look for a fifth consecutive title against a desperate Noarlunga outfit.In the Sunday competitions there were a couple of grand final thrillers with Hackham taking out the ‘C’ grade premiership by just two points against Port Noarlunga while Reynella won the Under 14’s decider, also by two points, against Happy Valley.Grand Final fixtures (Friday 25/9/20)Under 13: Reynella v Cove (6.00pm @ Port Noarlunga)Under 15: Christies Beach v Reynella (7.30pm @ Port Noarlunga)Grand Final fixtures (Saturday 26/9/20)‘A’ Grade: Flagstaff Hill v Noarlunga (2.10pm @ Flinders University Stadium)‘B’ Grade: Flagstaff Hill v Noarlunga (12.05pm @ Flinders University Stadium)Under 17.5: Happy Valley v Flagstaff Hill (10.00am @ Flinders University Stadium)

Langhorne Creek are through to their third Grand Final in a row after a thrilling one point victory over Encounter Bay in the Great Southern Football League (GSFL) second semi-final at Willunga on Saturday. The Hawks will go into the 2020 decider looking for three flags on the trot. Encounter Bay started the game well to lead by 11 points at quarter time and at one stage in the second term led by as much as 29 points, before the Hawks hit back to reduce the margin to a manageable 18 points at halftime. Langhorne Creek kicked three goals to none in the third quarter to hit the front at the last change by just two points and a big finish was on the cards. The Bays wrestled back momentum in the final quarter with the first three goals to skip out to a 17-point lead and they had one foot in the grand final. Langhorne Creek would not be denied as they kicked three goals in a row before a string of behinds saw them cling on to win 10.12 (72) to 11.5 (71). Curtis Perrey, Jarrod Kellock and Lachie McGregor all kicked two goals for the reigning premiers while Josh Graham kicked three majors for Encounter Bay. Tom Derham, James Sellar, Kellock, Perrey, Troy Blackwell and Jake Dominish were best for the Hawks while for Encounter Bay, Tyson Neale, Wade Sweetman, Daniel Toole, Tyler Baldock and Fraser Tonkin were named in their best players.Willunga has knocked McLaren out of the 2020 season with a 44-point win in the first semi-final at Yankalilla on Sunday. McLaren only lost one game in the minor round but sadly went out of the finals in ‘straight sets’. Willunga started well to lead by 14 points at quarter time and extended their lead to a handy 22 points by halftime. The third term was an entertaining and high scoring one with 12 goals being kicked as the Demons pulled away further to lead by 36 points heading into the final stanza. A further three goals to one in the last term saw Willunga win convincingly 18.11 (119) to 10.15 (75). Sam Renney was a star up forward for Willunga as he slotted seven goals. Daniel Lee and Myles Warmington also kicked three goals for the Demons. Jordon Mutton had an excellent game to be named best for McLaren as he kicked four goals. Best players for the triumphant Willunga outfit included Sam Tregenza, Renney, Jake Standfield, Brad Haskett and Cameron Hutchens. Apart from Mutton, other good players for McLaren were Kiefver Zohar, Jake Rowe, Max Wakefield and Stuart Green.Preliminary Final fixtures (26/9/20 @ Victor Harbor)‘A’ Grade: Encounter Bay v Willunga (2.30pm)‘B’ Grade: Willunga v Langhorne Creek (12.45pm)Senior Colts: Langhorne Creek v Willunga (11.15am)Junior Colts: Strathalbyn v Willunga (9.50am)