GSCA 2025-26: Wanderers collapse as Bandicoots take four wickets in final over to secure extraordinary tie

It was a topsy-turvy T20 day of action in the Great Southern Cricket Association, with Broomehill and Katanning Wanderers battling out a thrilling tie while Kojonup recorded a thumping victory on Saturday. In a day of double headers in round 11 of the Bendigo Bank Shield, the Cougars easily defeat Australs North and there was the extraordinary spectacle of the Bandicoots and the Tigers sharing the spoils. Later that afternoon, round 12 brought defeat to the Bandicoots by Kendenup and a win for Tambellup over the Tigers. Green Range-Ongerup, busy with their harvest, will have to rearrange their clashes with the Lions and Kendenup. Back at the drama at Quartermaine Oval where the Bandicoots were put into bat, the Wanderers made immediate inroads as Jack Batchelor and Ben Holmes were both out with the score on 11. Max Jordison restored order, carrying his bat for a hard-hitting 61 with noble back-up from Rohan Bignell, who was unbeaten on 41. Their efforts, plus minor contributions from David Hinchliffe (4) and Lewis Barritt (19), gave the Bandicoots a 20-over total of 4-142. There was little sense of the excitement to come as Brock Green plundered 84 off 56 balls to leave Katanning on 5-140, needing just three runs off the last over for victory. David Hinchcliffe had the honour with the ball for the Bandicoots, with a dot ball to start. Adam Edwards made one run off the second but Luke Stathy was bowled on the third with the home side two runs shy of the win with three balls remaining. The fourth ball saw off Adam Edwards run out by Thomas Dennis, and Tuhiwai McRoberts went the same way after the fifth, his bails knocked off by the bowler. Needing two runs for the triumph off the last ball, Tyron Pinney made one run before being run out – the run leaving scores tied. GSCA president Jack Batchelor, who scored seven runs for Broomehill, said it was the most extraordinary match he had played. “I’ve never been involved in a game which has ended like that,” he said. He also explained that while the association’s by-laws allowed for a super over to decide matters, there was not enough time for it to take place on Saturday. “With the first games starting at 11am and the second ones due to start at 3pm, we had to mark it down as a draw,” he said. There was a much more run-of-the-mill victory for the Cougars as they were eight-wicket winners over the Lions at Katanning’s top oval. A knock of 57 from Phillip Pink helped the Lions to 9-107, which the Cougars knocked off with ease. Liam Want (40) and Matthew Marinoni (34) both retired not out and left it to Thomas Robertson to add the final flourish with a six that got the Cougars home in just the eighth over. Broomehill’s second contest of the day ended in a six-wicket loss to Kendenup. The Bandicoots elected to bat but Kendenup made a mess of their top order, snaring six wickets before 50 runs had been scored. David Hinchcliffe top-scored with an unbeaten 24 on their way to being all out for 96. Seb Ballard caused most of the mayhem, bagging 4-18 off four overs. The Kendenup reply required 15 overs with Seb Ballard again the main man with 21. Jakob Douglas (20) and Jared Ballard (19) also helped matters along as they won with more than four overs to spare. Tambellup recorded a seven-wicket win over Katanning in round 12, after Wanderers set them a target of 175 to win. The crux of their innings were the half-centuries of Kris Norris (58) and Caleb Keley (55no), with Brock Green’s 47 also contributing to the cause. Tambellup’s measured response brought good efforts from all their top order, Flynn Cristinelli’s 46 just edging Leo Cunningham’s unbeaten 45 for the best of the afternoon. Devon Cristinelli (30) and Lachlan Bradshaw (39) were also on form as Tambellup reached 3-175 with five balls to spare.