Sport
16 October, 2025
2024/2025 Gilgandra District Cricket Association Competition begins
Results from round one
Defending champions Biddon-Tooraweenah and fellow 2024/2025 Gilgandra District Cricket Association (GDCA) grand finalists Town Services dropped their opening matches of the new season to Gular and newcomers Dunedoo respectively in an early indication an open 2025/2026 Bendigo Bank ABC Shield cricket season looms.
Gular’s Brandon Hammond was in impressive form with a classy 130 as the hosts powered to 8-242 from 40 overs after winning the toss and batting at Gulargambone sportsground on Saturday, October 11.
Jason Carter (44) and Peter Peters Jnr (36) played nice support innings’ for the hosts as Hammond carried his bat in an unbeaten 40-over innings including 11 fours and six sixes.
Biddon-Toorawenah’s Darcy Walker was the stand-out with ball for the visitors, claiming a hat-trick. His hat-trick included two of his victims being bowled, Darcy Walker finishing with 3-20 off four overs. Clint Walker claimed a respectable 2-44 off eight overs, as did James Best (2-34 off six overs).
In reply, Biddon-Tooraweenah (BT) never got close, being dismissed for 90 inside 29 overs.
Youngster Alex Cosier impressed with 24 to top-score for BT, while Lachlan Ferguson (23) and Jack Bradley (15) also made double figures.
Levi Peters (4-17 off seven overs) and Slater Peters (3-12 off 5.3 overs) starred for Gular while Jack Warrington (2-4 off five overs) also performed well in the 152-run win. Another to star was the traditional swooping Magpie on the eastern boundary at Gulargambone sportsground, which will again prove to be entertaining or concerning for players, depending on whether you are watching on and laughing or being swooped while fielding.
Meanwhile, Dunedoo have scored an impressive one-wicket success in their debut match in the GDCA after joining late in the off-season.
Town Services travelled to Dunedoo, won the toss and batted first and would have been content with their 7-213 off 40 overs on a synthetic surface and fast outfield. Town skipper Ash Hazleton dominated with 132 and received good support from Dustin Foran (34), Alex Sutherland (25) and Liam Zell (22).
For Dunedoo, skipper Nathan Duce (1-31 off eight overs) and Oliver Chamings (1-21 off five overs) were economical and took wickets while Rory Madden (3-45 off five overs) grabbed multiple scalps.
Despite Hazelton taking 4-24 off eight overs in a brilliant all-round performance and Mark Temple (3-27 off eight overs) also being in the wickets, Dunedoo scraped home with 9-214 off 37.3 overs.
Jacob Besgrove (66) top-scored while Chamings (57) also made an important half-century and Jake Ferguson contributed 33 for Dunedoo.
After falling from 6-200 to 9-206, Chamings and Ferguson both departing in this period, it was left to last wicket pair Daniel Shiers (four not out) and Tyson Craggs (five not out) to get Dunedoo home.
The Dunedoo club had been competing in the Gulgong District Cricket Association competition but with a lack of teams in that league were exploring other options.
A possible move to the Mudgee competition did not eventuate, with the proactive GDCA responding to Dunedoo’s request to enter a side promptly.
It now means that aside from the Gilgandra Shire (Town Services, Curban, Biddon-Tooraweenah), there are now sides representing nearby Gulargambone, Coonamble
(Gidgee), Warren (USC-Marthaguy), Coonabarabran and now Dunedoo in a truly regional association for the GDCA.
It was a stop-start beginning to the opening round.
Gidgee forfeited to Curban, while USC-Marthaguy was unable to field a side against Coonabarabran, with a final decision pending as to whether that match will be deferred or considered a forfeit by the Warren-based side.
The 2025/2026 GDCA season will be 14 rounds with a three-week finals series, the decider scheduled for March 21, 2026.
Round two matchups are Town v Curban; Gular v Gidgee; USC-Marthaguy v Dunedoo; and Biddon-Toora v Coonabarabran.
