Sport
11 October, 2026
Highlands cricket results
Sir Wally in his first column is on his best behaviour as Highlands Cricket kicked off its grade competition on Saturday, 10 October with three grades taking to the field for the opening round.
Highlands Cricket kicked off its grade competition on Saturday, 10 October with three grades taking to the field for the opening round.
With six teams competing for first-grade honours, the weather played its part, delaying one match and forcing another to change venues.
At Bradman Oval, Moss Vale faced Bowral in what promised to be an early test of both clubs' off-season preparations.
Moss Vale's recruitment has focused on youth, including players as young as 14, while Bowral has retained its experienced core, with just a dash of youth thrown in.
Batting first in a rain-reduced 40-over match, Moss Vale lost wickets regularly and never recovered.
Murmurs around the ground suggested the Moss Vale batting must have thought it was a 10 over match. In their defence conditions favoured the bowlers.
Stumbling to 110 Moss Vale’s top scorer was Smith, not Steve, but Lachlan. Extras were third top score.
With the ball Nick Miller pounced late collecting the final four wickets to finish with figures more commonly associated with an under 10s match: 4/7 from 6 overs.
In reply, Bowral clearly also thought it was a 10 over match although with a very different result.
The defending powerhouse chased down the target for the loss of just one wicket in the 12th over.
Nicholas Bines was in devastating form, smashing 76 runs, with all but 10 coming from boundaries.
Byron Wright claimed Moss Vale's solitary wicket.
If anyone was wondering whether Bowral would surrender its position at the top of Highlands cricket, the opening round provided a fairly emphatic answer.
Meanwhile, in Moss Vale Hill Top met Mittagong in another contest featuring clubs looking to establish their credentials.
Like Moss Vale, Mittagong has recruited youth over the off-season.
Batting first, Mittagong struggled to build partnerships and was dismissed for 130 in the 39th over.
Joe Quilty proved as adept with the bat as the family is with the brush, compiling a team-high 26.
Extras continued their impressive opening-round form, once again finishing as the third-highest scorer.
Steven McNaught and Cameron Arlington were the chief destroyers for Hill Top, collecting three wickets each.
In reply, Hill Top made short work of the target, reaching it in just 25 overs.
There were few surprises among the leading contributors, with McNaught completing an excellent all-round performance by scoring 69, while Mitchell Granger added 37.
For Mittagong, it was a tale of youth and experience, with youngster Harry Mooney and veteran skipper Mitchell Logan taking two wickets each.
The final first-grade match of the round saw Wingello and Robertson enjoy a scenic drive to Tourist Road, with Welby Oval closed for business.
It proved the closest contest of the opening round.
Batting first, Wingello scrapped its way to 194 before being dismissed in the 42nd over.
Experience again proved valuable, with the bustling Dale Wellington contributing 36 and skipper Jesse Cao raising his bat for a half-century on his way to 51.
Robertson shared the bowling honours, with Josh Green, Dale Young, Mitchell Wright and Jack Whitfield claiming two wickets apiece.
In reply, Robertson threatened but ultimately fell short, dismissed for 173 in the 36th over.
The ageless Jack Whitfield led the resistance with an impressive 74 from 77 deliveries.
And who should appear as Robertson's third-highest scorer?
Extras, of course, contributing another 20 runs to an already productive weekend.
But the day belonged to Wingello's Matthew Pike, who did anything but live up to his surname, delivering a devastating spell of 6/17 from nine overs.
After one round, Bowral sits on top of the first-grade ladder, followed by Hill Top, Wingello, Robertson, Mittagong and Moss Vale.
Second grade: Kelly rescues Moss Vale
In second grade the stand out performance came from Moss Vale which chased down 210 in just 30 overs against Wingello at Bill O’Reilly Oval.
It was an extraordinary recovery after Moss Vale found itself in early trouble at 2/0.
Tom Kelly was the hero, producing a magnificent century to guide his side home.
Moss Vale finishes the opening round on top of the second-grade ladder.
Third grade: Kent turns back the clock
Third grade has nine teams this season and remains one of the great features of Highlands cricket.
It's a wonderful mixture of older, wily campaigners, players developing their skills and the next generation beginning their senior cricket careers. Third grade is well known also for “parents and children” teams.
On any given Saturday, players in their 60s can share the field with youngsters as young as 11 or 12.
The match of the round was at Bill Strong Oval in New Berrima, where Moss Vale faced Bowral Cavs.
Batting first, David Kent with the 'can we put this' bat, turned back the clock with a punchy century, helping Moss Vale reach 195.
Kent's most recent appearance had been somewhat less successful, recording a duck against Hawkesbury in an over-50s match in 2023.
This time, however, the bat did plenty of talking, in an innings that was not cut short after 30 seconds.
Opening the innings, Kent carved his way to 106 from 105 deliveries before finally falling to the experienced David Humphreys.
Following his recent promotion to deputy mayor of Wingecarribee, it appears Kent's next promotion could be to second grade.
Despite Kent's innings, Bowral Cavs proved too strong.
Humphreys completed an impressive all-round performance with an unbeaten 53, adding to his earlier dismissal of Kent. Bowral chased down the total in the 37th over with just three overs left.
Women's cricket returns Wednesday
The Tina Macpherson women’s competition gets underway on Wednesday with The Southern Wire providing coverage throughout the season.
Sir Wally Wetwicket OBE (Order of the Boundary Esky) is The Southern Wire’s legendary cricket correspondent. Having roamed the boundary ropes of Southern NSW for more than 500 years.
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