Sport
22 March, 2026
Grand Finals Caught Behind by the Weather
Highlands Cricket hosted grand finals across all three grades on Saturday, with First Grade at Bradman Oval, Second Grade at New Berrima and Third Grade at Glenquarry — although the weather had other ideas.
Highlands Cricket hosted grand finals across all three grades on Saturday, with First Grade at Bradman Oval, Second Grade at New Berrima and Third Grade at Glenquarry — although the weather had other ideas.
First Grade
Robertson travelled to Bradman Oval to take on favourites Bowral. After winning the toss and electing to bowl, Robertson made early inroads with Bowral 1 for 7. Wickets continued to fall and Bowral were teetering at 4 for 57 when rain and lightning forced play to be abandoned, with James Morton unbeaten on 25.
The grand final will now move to the reserve day next Saturday at Bradman Oval, starting at 12:30pm.
Second Grade
Despite similar conditions to Bradman Oval, a result was achieved at New Berrima — although not without disruption.
Batting first, Moss Vale struggled to get going, limping to 8 for 71 before rain halted play, albeit with 17 overs left to bat. Luke Stewart top-scored with 36, with no other batter reaching double figures, although extras came close.
Ben Quilty, fresh off his $2.5 million art gallery funding success, proved as effective with the ball as he is with the brush, taking 2 for 15 for Robertson. Flynn Corby (2 for 9) and Chad Stephenson (2 for 4) were also impressive, in a bowling performance more usually seen in junior cricket scorecards.
After persistent rain and lightning throughout the afternoon, play remarkably resumed later in the day after Robertson used 'blowers' to dry the pitch. A revised target of 59 was set for Robertson, who chased it down in the 17th over, shortly after 6:30pm.
Captain Charles Whatman led from the front for the ‘Spuds’ with 28, guiding Robertson to victory and the 2025/26 Second Grade premiership under darkening skies.
Third Grade
Moss Vale and Bowral met at the scenic Tourist Road Oval in Glenquarry. With Bowral 3 for 60 and the match evenly poised, rain again intervened.
A lightning strike near the edge of the field forced the abandonment of play, with the Third Grade grand final also moving to next Saturday’s reserve day.
The Southern Wire will provide full coverage of the First and Third Grade grand finals next weekend.
Read More: Southern Highlands, Bowral, Moss Vale, Robertson