Sport
13 March, 2026
Patience and brisk not enough to lift Pies
BOORT Yando’s hopes of emulating its junior side and winning a premiership in the club’s 40th year were dashed by a determined Wedderburn Band at Boort Park on Saturday.
Wedderburn won surprisingly easily after limiting the Magpies’ batting lineup to 8-109 from 40 overs and will meet Kingower in the grand final next Saturday at the same venue.
Having had a hit-out on the slow Boort track may prove a bonus for the Band in the decider.
Only Alex Cockerell, with a patient 37 from 88 balls, got going for Boort Yando, although Harry Weaver’s brisk 21 not out from 33 deliveries added a late flourish to the run rate.
The well-grassed outfield made scoring boundaries a struggle for the home side – the Magpies could hit only three fours and two sixes in their innings.
Tight Wedderburn opening bowling from Will Holt (3-1-5-0) and Adam Postle (8-2-27-0) was typical of the Band’s attack.
Captain Isaac Holt was best with 4-27 from eight overs, while Steve Giorlando (1-13 from eight overs), Sam Carroll (1-19 from eight) and Finn Turnbull (1-15 from five) also applied the screws.
With a drying outfield, and a batting lineup prepared to take to the skies, Wedderburn reached the target for the loss of only three wickets in 35.3 overs.
Opener Giorlando hit five fours in his steady 38 from 88 balls, while Luke Holt smacked two fours and two sixes in his rapid 27 compiled off 34 deliveries. Jarrod Hodoras took 1-12 for the Magpies from 6.3 tight overs, while Brian Minogue’s eight overs yielded 1-15.
After a strong start, Boort Yando’s season slipped away from early December, with only two wins from the last six games.
The team did win the Loddon Herald Trophy for the T20 format when the final was abandoned due to extreme heat and will look to graduates from its strong junior side to boost its senior outfit next season.
- GARY WALSH