Mount Gambier has been crowned champions in a hugely impressive week at Horsham Country Week.
After a wash out on the first day of the Horsham carnival, the Mount Gambier under 15 side kicked its week off with a win over Warrnambool Blue on day two.
Harry Hicks top scored with the bat with 67, while Rhys Grigg was also good scoring 26.
Finishing the innings with a score of 9/179, in response the side held Warrnambool Blue to just 166 runs.
Jaggar Geary was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4/27, and Rhys Grigg continued his good match with 2/24.
On day three the side went big with a huge score of 4/292, Harry Hicks was again impressive with the bat as he piled on 100 not out, Tayte Virtanen was also excellent with the bat scoring 50.
Ryan Lucas dominated with bat and ball with 68 not out and bowling figures of 4/19, as Mount Gambier went on to win by 120 runs.
Hicks then backed up his ton on day three with another 100 on day four against Portland.
Mount Gambier again scored big with Hicks 110 not out being a massive contribution to the sides score of 4/310.
Isaac Chambers was also superb with the bat, knocking up 103 for the first time at the carnival.
Mount Gambier’s excellent results meant the side faced off against Warrnambool in the final.
Bowling first Mount Gambier took the game away from Warrnambool, bowling the Victorians out for 76.
West Gambier’s Naite Fox was the pick of the bowlers for Mount Gambier, bowling a destructive spell of 4/13.
The rest of the wickets were shared evenly amongst Harry Hicks, Jaggar Geary and Ollie McCracken who all took two each, with McCracken bowling the most economically of the bunch with 2/7.
The side had little issues in the run chase as it went past Warrnambool’s total to remain undefeated and claim the Country week in Horsham.
The man of the match for the final was awarded to Naite Fox for his exceptional bowling in the first innings which secured the match for Mount Gambier.
Harry Hicks was named player of the tournament after a consistent week with bat and ball that included back-to-back tons and a half century.
Coach Craig Hicks was hugely impressed with his players’ performances over the week.
“It was a huge week with some outstanding individual performances but most pleasing was the way the team performed as one,” he said.
“Each player had a role to play and did not let the team down.”
Hicks said his team’s efforts were especially impressive in defeating two Warrnambool sides, which had previously proved difficult to beat.
“Beating the two Warrnambool teams in the same carnival shows just how good this team was and most importantly, they all had a great time together and got a huge amount of enjoyment from it, on and off the field,” Hicks said.
