Hutchinson’s opening partner Daniel Griffiths made a quick 19 from 20 deliveries before he too was removed by Alexander, leaving the team 2-23.
Chaminda Gamage took the majority of the strike as he built a 28-run stand with Monty Wynne for the third wicket, but Warrior bowler Josh Lees trapped Wynne in front for five before Xavier Bone claimed Gamage’s scalp for 21, putting the home side on the back foot once again.
It was a sixth-wicket between Jason Kannar and Harrison Hoffman that got the Demons back in the contest, with the latter contributing 24 runs to a 57-run partnership before falling to Austin Merrett, while lower-order contributions of 30 from Jackson Hoffmann and 23 from skipper Josh Mahoney saw Laharum post a competitive total of 10-162. West Wimmera openers Brad Alexander and Mitch Dahlenburg took contrasting approaches to the run chase, with Alexander scoring 26 at better than a run a ball, while Dahlenburg batted patiently for his 39 runs before being stumped by Harrison Hoffman off the bowling of Kannar.
Brodie Cramer, batting third, and Nathan Alexander at four built a match-winning partnership of 40 runs, with Cramer going out for 48 with victory in sight.
It was the last wicket the Warriors would lose, with Alexander, 37 not out, and Jeremy Weeks, an unbeaten seven, guiding them to a winning total of 3-163 with more than two overs to spare.
While the win was enough to put West Wimmera back atop the ladder, Noradjuha-Toolondo stayed hot on the Warriors’ heels with a tense one-wicket win against Swifts-Great Western at Stawell’s Central Park.
The Bullants sent the home side in after winning the toss, but a superb innings of 61 from Lions skipper Aiden Graveson, coupled with 41 from Zachary Marrow, might have seen the visitors regret their decision.
Justtin Combe helped the Bullants avoid a disastrous run chase however, claiming five wickets including the key breakthrough to remove Graveson.
With Swifts-Great Western all out for 183 the Bullants needed to bat well, and a 51-run opening partnership between Matt Combe and Jason Harris was just what they had in mind.
But Lion Wil Clough struck back, taking two wickets in an over to put the visitors suddenly on the back foot.
The Bullants’ hopes appeared to be fading when skipper Tony Caccaviello was trapped in front by Sam Wells for 24, and Jack Combe fell for four soon after, leaving the team 71 runs short of victory with only three wickets remaining.
It was a superb eight-wicket stand by Tim Crick, 28, and Jordan McDonald, 24, that turned the match again, but the visitors were still 20 runs adrift when McDonald fell to Matt Heffer, leaving Anthony Cutter and Riley Lane a tense few overs to navigate.
Lane held up his end admirably, scoring one run from 10 deliveries faced, while Cutter made hay at the other end, knocking in 17 runs from 13 deliveries to send his side to 9-185 with only three balls to spare.
Colts fell just short in a run chase against the Horsham Tigers, coming up eight runs adrift after batting out their 40 overs.
The Tigers set a total of 4-201 thanks to Tyler Puls’ 61, and their bowlers were able to find enough breakthroughs despite Adam Atwood, 45, Josh Colbert, 41, and Joey Nagorcka, 41, all getting good starts.
The round’s final two matches were more straightforward victories, with Donald-Jeffcott beating Brim-Kellalac-Sheep Hills by six wickets with 26 overs remaining, while Lubeck-Murtoa downed St Mary’s by eight wickets with 22 overs and change to spare.
Jarvis Mitchell starred for the Mudlarks with the ball, taking 5-12 in eight overs, while skipper Shannon Reddie scored 57 with the bat.
This weekend will see Swifts-Great Western at home to Colts, Horsham Tigers on the road against West Wimmera at Nhill, the Bullants hosting Brim-Kellalac-Sheep Hills at Horsham City Oval, Laharum travelling to Murtoa to take on the Mudlarks and Donald-Jeffcott welcoming St Mary’s.
The entire January 28, 2026 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!
The entire January 28, 2026 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!