**One of the most awesome things you’ll see in local sport is the new mural on the wall of the TOORADIN Sports Club. The mural celebrates legends with the town’s strong historic connection to the Cricket Club, Tennis Club and Football and Netball Club. Four legendary Seagulls athletes are now immortalised on its walls with champions Summah Boyd representing netball, the late Beau Miller representing footy, Cal O’Hare representing cricket and Brady Symons representing tennis. It’s an absolutely amazing nod to the community and those honoured on the wall, make sure to check it out.
**The CCCA has its first look at what next summer will potentially look like with the clubs coming together on Monday night to put a plan in motion for a potential structure for next season. The clubs voted for the District competition to return, with Premier, District and B Grade all going to feature eight teams. Also, it seems the highest placed first XI in this summer’s A Grade is in a position to be promoted, whilst second XIs cannot go up, even if it were to win the flag.
**This development comes off the back of the clubs agreeing in principle on a structure in a meeting before Christmas. 13 of 16 CCCA clubs were present at that meeting.
**CRICKET SNICKS owes an apology to ENDEAVOUR HILLS Cricket Club as David Anning calmly reminded us that the outfit are called the Eagles, not the Falcons. With Gazette sports editor Dave Nagel away on leave for the week, SNICKS is taking the opportunity to stitch Dave up and acknowledge that the reviews had been calling them the Falcons all season.
**PAKENHAM keeper Zach Flaxman was busy over Country Week for CASEY CARDINIA. Firstly, the youngster lost his accommodation room key early in the week and forced an after hours front desk person to come down with a replacement.
**The CASEY CARDINIA tradition of first year players singing a song on the team bus was supposed to continue but CRICKET SNICKS is aware that debutant Englishman Flaxman was unwilling to belt out any song that wasn’t God Save the King, much to the dismay of the team. Well played!
**In CASEY CARDINIA’s Tuesday loss to SALE MAFFRA, Chris ‘Wombat’ Bright achieved the extremely rare yet unwanted feat of being run out for a diamond duck. After Cal O’Hare was run out at the non-strikers end, Bright started his innings off strike. Lahiru Jayakody then hit a ball towards the fence and the call was three, but Bright was caught short on the third without facing a ball.
**If our spies are on the mark, a superstar bat posting massive numbers from a local league is being recruited heavily by a club from a neighbouring competition. We’ll see how this one unfolds.
**Last week the Gazette ran a photo of CASEY CARDINIA Country Week President alongside assistant and great mate Les Jones smiling together for a hug. But Phil was quick to point out to CRICKET SNICKS that that photo was all for show and that it was the last thing the pair would do before ending up in a squabble. If this week’s photo is any proof, the pair were definitely getting into each other. On a more serious note, well done to all those that gave their time to the Country Week process, with president Phil, assistant Les, bus driver Neil Chaplin and scorer Dwayne Lester doing a fantastic job as always.
**SPRINGVALE SOUTH’S women’s T20 team recently celebrated a sweet premiership victory against Berwick, winning by nine wickets in emphatic fashion. Alex Corneilus took three wickets for the Bloods, while Kamya Mishra (28), Teagan Parker (29 not out) and Rasandi Padmaperuma (25 not out) led the team to a cruisy victory. The Bears came into the match undefeated and defeated Springy the last time the two sides met back in round six.
**Former AFL talent Brad Crouch recently departed NOBLE PARK after playing six games in 2025 as the club’s playing assistant coach. There is no doubt that his loss will be felt at the club both on and off the field. He has signed with his former junior club, Ballarat Swans ahead of this season.
**Getting run out has to be one of the worst ways to get out, and getting run out on 99 is the stuff of nightmares. Unfortunately for SILVERTON batter Hemal Ratnayake, this nightmare came to life last weekend as he was caught short of his ground trying to pinch a quick single on 99 against PARKFIELD in the DDCA Turf 2 competition. But credit where credit is due, as he put the Bakers in a good spot to knock off the Bandits.
**CATANI duo Daniel (48) and James Vela (54) led their team to a thrilling one-day grand final win in the Warragul and District Division 1 competition on Sunday – the pair put on a 92-run stand to give Catani the edge against WESTERN PARK, winning by 3 runs. Shoutout to Sam Batson, who batted beautifully for 73 in a losing effort.
**What a meteoric rise from former WARRAGUL first XI player Ali Hasan, who is now representing ITALY at the ICC T20 World Cup. Ali was even a part of the record-breaking Italian side that won its first ever World Cup game, taking a wicket in victory over NEPAL. Talk about progress!
**Aydin Akin … remember the name. NARRE NORTH hasn’t had a lot to smile about this season in DDCA Turf 3, and even though they are in danger of losing the current match against ST MARY’S, they would’ve been in a lot more trouble had Akin not taken 9/37 off 21.3 overs with the new ball. Making it even better, his nine-wicket haul included a hat-trick.
