UGSCA 2025-26: Wandering on top, face second-placed Lake Grace in last-round showdown as finals slots beckon

There is everything to play for ahead of the Upper Great Southern Cricket Association’s last regular round of A-grade competition as ladder-leaders Wandering tackle Lake Grace in a top-two showdown on Saturday.

A Lake Grace win could see them overtake leaders Wandering, while a Lake Grace loss would put them at risk from Cuballing and Williams, who are neck-and-neck on 28 points, four points adrift.

The final-round fixtures pit Cuballing and Towns, and Williams will be at home to Wickepin-Harrismith — with both high-ranked sides expected to win with ease.

Lake Grace gave themselves some breathing space with their round 11 victory over Cuballing, making the most of the home advantage to record a 37-run win last Saturday.

Batting first, Dylan Brooks (44) and Mitch Smith (43) gave Lake Grace a solid start despite an early wobble which cost them the wickets of Kalan Joyce and Ben Donohue.

However, Joe Dowling soon put a stop to their progress as he took 5-45 in tandem with a tail which refused to wag.

The last five Lake Grace wickets fell for just 20 runs.

Unfortunately for Cuballing, they could not profit from their bowlers’ successes as Brock Francis was their top scorer with 28.

Archibald Mason was the best of the Lake Grace attack with 3-24 as the Cuballing reply ended short, all out for 106.

Wandering got the better of Williams, opting to bat first at home and racking up 8-172 in their 45 overs.

There were some solid contributions as Jacob Schorer (29) and Lewis Parsons (31) put on 52 for the first wicket, and then Blake Egerton-Warburton (38), Lewis Schulz (22) and Troy Egerton-Warburton (25no) took up the cudgels.

A half-century from Riley Ford, which topped up Michael Cowcher’s 26, seemed to have Williams on track in reply, but once Ford was caught by George Wessels, off the bowling of Lewis Parsons for 58, it all petered out.

Rodney Ford hit 20 to be the best of the rest, while Steven Ford was unbeaten on six, to go with his 3-39 with the ball, as Williams were all out for 153.

Josh Brennan took the bowling honours for Wandering with 3-33.

Wickepin-Harrismith survived their 45 overs against Towns to make 7-171, and almost held out for a first win of the season.

Towns scrambled over the line in the 43rd over, reaching 5-172 for a six-wicket victory — only their second win of the campaign.

Batting first at home, Wickepin’s middle-order prospered, with Tyron Miller and Jamie Miller hitting half-centuries.

They were the shining lights until Tyron was bowled by Mitchell Ackland for 59, while Jamie remained unbeaten on 53.

The Towns’ reply relied on Perrin Quartermaine’s 68 as he had to wait until Scott Langford came in at No.5 for a meaningful partnership after Kade Maley (16) was dismissed and Nuwan Darshika Samarakoon Singappuli Arachchige (16no) retired.

Langford added 31 off 46 balls as Towns edged home.