Yarrawonga Mulwala Cricket Club A-Grade side continued its outstanding 2025/2026 season on Saturday claiming the Wangaratta District Cricket Association’s One Day Premiership on top of the T20 Premiership they won in December.
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Les_Garbutt
The senior cricket season is over, with Yarrawonga Mulwala Cricket Club taking home the A Grade and C Grade premierships on Saturday with A Reserve finishing runners up.
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Yarrawonga Mulwala Lakers A Grade produced a calm and clinical run chase to secure the WDCA A Grade premiership at Benalla Gardens Oval, reaching the target of 159 with four wickets in hand and 17 balls to spare against Rovers United Bruck.
Lakers Vice Captain Reid Clarke (18 off 54) helped keep the Lakers in the game early the innings.
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L.GARBUTT
After winning the toss and batting first, Rovers United Bruck were unable to build sustained momentum, eventually bowled out for 158 in the 40th over, thanks largely to disciplined pressure from the Lakers attack.
The innings got off to a dream start for Yarrawonga Mulwala, with a stunning catch from Reid Clarke down leg side to remove Charith Perera. Clarke reacted brilliantly, pouching the ball as it glanced off the bat on its way to fine leg.
The match got off to a dream start for the Lakers, with a stunning catch from Reid Clarke sending the Rovers’ opening batsman to the sheds for a duck.
When Ryan Collier popped one up soon after, the Rovers were in early trouble at 2/20 in the sixth over.
Jacob Schonafinger and Reid McNamara worked to steady the innings, but Yarrawonga Mulwala continued to strike at key moments.
The consistent Devlin Webb delivered a crucial breakthrough, firing one through Schonafinger’s defences to rattle the stumps.
The ever-reliable Ben Welsh then trapped Rovers Vic Captain Matt Whitten LBW with a full delivery, while Develin then claimed Dean Shaw fell for a duck, caught behind after the ball brushed the shoulder of the bat.
At 5/96 at drinks, the momentum remained with the Lakers, and they struck again immediately after the break when McNamara (42 off 54) edged behind to Clarke.
Rovers United Bruck found some resistance through a valuable partnership between skipper Jeremy Wilson (24 off 50) and Michael Honman (22 off 61), but it took a moment of brilliance in the field to break it.
Devlin Webb made a decent start for the Lakers with 15 off 28 balls.
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L.GARBUTT
Harrison Wheeler produced a superb diving catch at square leg to remove Wilson and halt the recovery.
Zac Fraser (3/26 off 8.4) and Devlin Webb (3/26 off 9) led the bowling effort, combining to wrap up the innings and ensure Yarrawonga Mulwala were chasing a manageable total.
Despite the modest target, the Rovers came out firing with the ball. Blake Nixon clean bowled Fraser Smart early, while Schonafinger found the edge of Ben Welsh to leave the Lakers under some pressure.
Reid Clarke (18 off 54), Devlin Webb (15 off 18), and Harrison Wheeler (17 off 31) all made starts, but Rovers United Bruck continued to find breakthroughs and had the Lakers in a precarious position at 6/80.
From there, however, Laker’s composure shone through.
Willie Wheeler was awarded Man of the Match for his brilliant 53 off 62 balls.
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Les_Garbutt
William Wheeler (53 not out, off 62) and Zac Fraser (40 not out, off 61) combined in a match-winning partnership, absorbing the pressure, rotating the strike, and punishing any loose deliveries.
The pair’s calm approach and ability to bat time ultimately proved the difference, guiding the Lakers to the premiership in a controlled and professional finish.
Wheeler finished with the Man of the Match honours edging out his batting partner Fraser.
The A-Grade Lakers finished the 2025/2026 season claiming both the WDCA T20 and One Day premierships with one thing in common; both matches saw a strong all-round performance from the Lakers team; in particular from Zac Fraser (T20 Final; 82* and 2/ 39 - One Day Final; 38* and 3/26).
A Grade YDCA Final Scorecard
Rovers United Bruck v Yarrawonga Mulwala CC
Venue: Benalla Gardens Oval, Benalla.
Toss won by: Rovers won the toss (elected to bat)
Batting – Rovers Bruck United
C Perera c R Clarke b a Heslin 0
R Collier c H Wheeler b M McCabe 14
R McNamara c R Clarke b D Webb 42
J Schonafinger b D Webb 23
M Whitten lbw B Welsh 6
D Shaw c R Clarke b D Webb 0
J Wilson c H Wheeler b Z Fraser 24
M Honman not out 22*
R Parsons run out K Archibald 1
B Nixon c B McCabe b Z Fraser 8
R Barnes b Z Fraser 2
Extras (11wd, 0nb,3lb,3b,op) 17
Overs: 39.4 Total – 10/159
Bowling: M McCabe 9/0/48/1, A Heslin 5/1/17/1, Z Fraser 8.4/0/26/3,
D Webb 9/0/26/3; H Wheeler 1/0/4/0; B Welsh 7/0/31/1.
Batting – Yarrawonga Mulwala CC
F Smart b: B Nixon 1
R Clarke lbw R McNamara 18
B Welsh c R Collier b J Schonafinger 1
D Webb c R McNamara b J Wilson 15
H Wheeler c B Nixon b R Barnes 17
B McCabe c J Schonafinger b J Wilson 1
W Wheeler not out 53*
Z Fraser not out 38*
K Archibald did not bat -
A Heslin did not bat -
M McCabe did not bat -
Extras (11wd, 0nb, 3lb, 3b , 0p) 17
Overs: 43.1 Total – 6/161
Bowling (wicket takers only): J Schonafinger 9/1/29/1; B Nixon 8/0/28/1
J Wilson 9/1/39/2; R McNamara 9/1/21/1, R Barnes 6.1/1/27/1.
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