While the Wangaratta and District Cricket Association’s 2026-2027 season officially got underway last weekend with the commencement of the A-grade competition, it was the lower grades’ turn to roll the arm over at the weekend.
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Competitions from B-grade through to under-12 got their campaigns under way across Friday evening and Saturday, with nine Bushrangers sides taking to the field – and another having a round one bye – in what shapes as a massive season for the club across every grade.
Seniors
B-grade
Benalla’s second XI got off to a winning start on Saturday afternoon, claiming a big 46-run victory over Delatite Devils on the road at Lords Reserve at Mansfield.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, the Bushrangers got off to a shaky start as both openers Vishal Sharma (8) and Lucas Ham (11) departed early, leaving the side in trouble at 2-24, a position that was compounded further by the loss of Dylan Barber (6) shortly after as the Bushrangers slumped to 3-31.
But skipper Lee Brennan assumed control of the situation, playing a patient yet vital knock at number three, combining with the steadfast Greg Hoysted for a team-rescuing stand of 63 for the fourth wicket.
In a supreme show of composure, Hoysted faced 59 deliveries for his 16 runs, hitting just one boundary, as he diligently occupied one end while Brennan did the scoring at the other.
By the time of his departure, the Bushies had escaped immediate danger to sit at 4-94, though that quickly became 6-100 as both Tace Bigmore (1) and Mark Osborne (4) came and went quickly.
Brennan continued to accumulate runs, though, and found support in Mitchell Wheelens, who added 15 valuable lower order runs before he was sent packing with Benalla at 7-124, and while the final three batsmen combined for six between them, Brennan remained unbeaten, finishing not out on a brilliant 63 to help his side to a defendable total of 10-140, the final wicket coming via a run out on the final ball of the innings.
While the Bushies had got off to a shaky start with the bat, so too did the Devils in the chase, as Noah Anderson (3-24) dismantled the top order to claim three quick wickets to leave the home side at 3-34.
But while the Bushrangers rallied via Brennan, the Devils had no answer to the Benalla bowling attack, as Brennan (1-1) snared his first to leave Delatite at 4-47, before Osborne and Bigmore (2-16) rattled through the middle and lower order, the former snaring match-best figures of 4-29 as Benalla bowled the home side out for 98.
The win ensures the Bushies sit fourth of 12 teams after the opening round, and will take on the early ladder leader Rutherglen United this weekend at Benalla Showgrounds as they attempt to go two from two.
C-grade
Third XI – Bye
Fourth XI
Benalla’s fourth XI has jumped straight to the top of the C-grade ladder following a brutal 113-run victory over Moyhu in the opening round contest at the weekend.
Travelling to Moyhu Recreation Reserve on Saturday afternoon, the Bushrangers were asked to bat after losing the toss and immediately made the Viking regret that call, posting an imposing 5-217 from the allocated 35 overs.
The big total came after a full team contribution with the bat, with opener Angus Hayes the only batsman dismissed for less than 20, having scored a handy 18, while Chris Lindsay and Mathew Hadj were also valuable contributors, belting 26 and 29, respectively.
But the bulk of the total came from the blades of Nathan Delaney and Steven Pickering, the former belting 56 off only 48 deliveries, while Pickering was unlucky to miss his half century, removed for a blistering 49 off 46 balls.
Gurpreet Singh Mann and Noah Cooney finished off the innings both unbeaten on 8, as the Bushies compiled what turned out to be a very handy total indeed.
The Bushies’ turn in the field got off to a solid start as Cooney (2-14) snared the opening two wickets, leaving the home side down 2-29 early, though a 70-run stand for the third wicket looked like powering the Vikings towards a chase-down victory.
But Singh Mann (1-17) found the breakthrough, reducing the Vikings to 3-99, and what followed was a collapse of monumental proportions.
Pickering (2-8), Tyson Williams (2-5) and Jatin Solanki (2-1) all snared two wickets apiece, while a run out accounted for another, as Moyhu went from 2-99 to all out for 114, losing the final eight wickets for 15 runs, giving the Bushies a huge first-up victory.
The massive margin sees the Bushrangers Fourth XI safely to the top spot, and they will next week take on Greta in search of a second win, while the Bushies Third XI will look to heap the pain on Moyhu again as they get their season underway.
Juniors
Under-16 Eugene Kneebone Shield
Benalla Red
Benalla’s under-16 Red side has made a solid start in its Eugene Kneebone Shield campaign, reaching stumps on day one of its opening round clash against Yarrawonga Mulwala in a strong position.
Travelling to Yarrawonga’s Victoria Park on Saturday morning to take on the Lakers, the Bushies were asked to bat after losing the toss, and got off to a disastrous start as opener Xavier De Fazio was removed without scoring, leaving the Bushrangers down 1-0.
Hugh Ross and new batsman Harrison Skelton steadied to add 30 for the second wicket before Ross (6) too departed as Noah Cooney joined Skelton in the middle.
The pair would add a team-high partnership of 34 for the third wicket, leaving the Bushrangers at 3-64 after Skelton was sent packing for a team-high 38 runs, before Cooney continued on alongside Cash Nolen (6), adding another 30 before Nolen fell with the score at 4-94.
Cooney’s knock of 31 came to an end soon after, but not before the Bushies had crossed the triple-figure threshold, going down with the scoreboard reading 5-107, while valuable runs from Noah Anderson (13) and Oliver Smith (22 not out) helped the Bushrangers to a competitive 9-147 by stumps.
Play will resume this Saturday with Benalla in the field, needing to restrict the lakers to less than 148 to secure victory.
Benalla Blue
Benalla’s under-16 Blue side is in a commanding position at the end of the first day’s play in their opening round clash with Wangaratta Magpies, having kept the visitors to under 90 runs at HP Barr Reserve in Wangaratta on Saturday morning.
Electing to bowl after winning the toss, the Bushies got off to the best possible start as Luca Solimo sent the Magpies’ openers’ stumps cartwheeling with the first delivery of the innings to set the tone.
Solimo would claim another two scalps in the seventh over, too, reducing the Magpies to 3-16 in the blink of an eye, and the Bushies maintained the pressure from there.
Angus Hayes (1-3) joined the party with his first scalp, before the mounting pressure caused a run out, too, while Henry Briggs’ (2-18) two wickets in quick succession had the home side on the ropes at 7-62.
Ryder Humphries (1-12) and Jai Collins (1-17) both claimed a wicket to round out the day’s play, too, as the Bushies kept the Magpies to 9-88 to sit in the box seat ahead of day two this Saturday.
Under-14 Len Hill Shield
Benalla Red
Benalla’s under-14 Red side is in a commanding position at stumps on day one of its Len Hill Shield Clash against Delatite Devils Blue, posting a big total of 5-137 from 40 overs at Bonnie Doon Recreation Reserve on Saturday morning.
Winning the toss and opting to bat, scores of 18 and 22 retired not out to openers Louis Horne and Hudson Pickering, respectively, laid a solid foundation, which Toby Smith built upon with a well-made 39, which was well supported by 21 to Bentley Parker.
The under-14 Red side will take to the field this Saturday as they look to complete the first up victory.
Benalla Blue
Benalla Blue is well on the way to victory in its clash with Delatite Devils Gold, having made a blistering start to the Len Hill Shield campaign on Saturday.
Hosting the Devils at Benalla Gardens Oval, the Bushies made light work of the Delatite batting line up, dismissing six of the Devils for ducks as Ryan Lindsay tore through the visiting batsmen, snaring 4-6, while Cailin Delaney (2-9) and Lachlan Osborne (2-10) both claimed multiple wickets, and Dustin Nolan (105) chipped in with one, as the Devils were bowled out for 72.
The Bushies faced seven overs before stumps, too, reaching 19 for the loss of two wickets, and will resume the chase this Saturday needing 54 runs for victory with eight wickets in hand.
Under -2
Benalla Bushrangers Red and Green faced off in an all-Benalla affair to start the season on Friday evening at Benalla Gardens Oval, with Green getting the better of their clubmates to record victory.
Opting to bowl after winning the toss, Green made light work of the Red lineup, restricting them to 8-32 from 14 overs, with Finaly Parker’s 2-1 the best figures for Green, while Cailin Delaney’s unbeaten 14 was the highest score for Red with the bat.
With bat in hand, Green surpassed Red’s total for the loss of one wicket before reaching 3-82 from the 20 overs, with Archer Pickering (27 retired not out), Mitchell Murray (14 not out) and Isla Walker (12) all reaching double figures.
Albert Briggs and Bailey King each finished with figures of 1-6 for Red with the ball.
On Saturday, the under-12 Blue side travelled to College Park in Mansfield to take on Delatite Devils, going down by 12 runs.
Asked to bowl after losing the toss, Darcy Ross (0-2) and Tess Ladd (2-3) helped the Bushies keep the Devils to 8-46, and while Jaxson Heatherill batted well with a team-high 11 in the chase, the Bushies were bowled out for 34 in reply.