“It was unbelievable. I couldn’t have asked for a better day to be honest,” he said.
Aiden Graveson catches Nathan Alexander. Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
ACE Radio donated $3000 to the Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Zach Marrow, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Daniel Griffiths, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Aiden Keys, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Daniel Griffiths hits a six,Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Daniel Griffiths hits a six,Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Joshua Lees, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Tyler Puls catches Aiden Graveson, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Joshua Lees, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Joshua Lees, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Aiden Graveson catches Nathan Alexander. Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Aiden Graveson catches Nathan Alexander. Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Aiden Graveson catches Nathan Alexander. Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Nathan Alexander, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Lachlan McGinnis Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Tyler Puls, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Nathan Alexander, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Jay Couch takes a catch to dismiss Mitch Dahlenburg, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Jay Couch drops a catch, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Mitch Dahlenburg, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Shannon Reddie, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Brad Alexander, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Horsham cricket legends Greg Exell and David Hopper, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Mitch Dahlenburg, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Tony Caccaviello, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Brad Alexander, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Brad Alexander, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Koby Westerland, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Joey Nagorcka, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Joey Nagorcka, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Cooper Anderson hits a four. Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Matt Combe. Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
North team. Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
South team. Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Koby Westerland, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
Player of the match, Daniel Griffiths, Horsham Cricket Association All Star T20 Bushfire Fundraiser.
“From the weather right through to the fundraising to the crowd and the support from the players and sponsors – everything was brilliant.”
Mr Combe estimated a crowd of between 500 and 700 people was in attendance at Horsham City Oval.
“At one point I looked across and the hill was packed, the grandstand was probably three quarters full and then you’ve got people in the clubrooms as well on the balcony everywhere,” he said.
“I haven’t seen a crowd like that at the local cricket ever.”
While the importance of the on-field result was secondary to fundraising efforts, spectators were treated to an entertaining contest.
The North all-star side, comprising players from West Wimmera, Donald-Jeffcott, Horsham Tigers, Lubeck-Murtoa, St Mary’s and Brim-Kellalac-Sheep Hills, batted first after winning the toss.
But while the North team featured a deadly array of bats, the South bowling line-up proved equally potent.
Laharum’s Chaminda Gamage led the charge with 3-21 from four overs, while Colts’ Jay Couch and Josh Colbert, along with Noradjuha-Toolondo captain Tony Caccaviello, took wickets each to have North all out for 115 in 18.1 overs.
West Wimmera’s Mitch Dahlenburg top scored for North with 21, closely followed by team-mate Brad Alexander on 19.
The batting fireworks came in the run chase, with Laharum’s Daniel Griffiths opening for South and blasting 42 from 29 balls in an innings featuring four sixes.
With MIXX FM and The Weekly Advertiser pledging a $200 donation for every crowd catch, intrigue was high.
Spectator Astrin Morrison eventually took a one-handed grab, to the delight of the crowd.
“It came off the bat pretty good,” Morrison told MIXX FM presenters Hugh Dougherty and Grant Kuchel, who broadcasted the match live on the radio.
“It looked like it was going to drop a bit short though. It just fell in my lap pretty much. I sort of stuck my hand out and it was just one grab – it just stuck in there.”
Griffiths’ efforts at the top of the South batting order, along with innings of 39 not out from Swifts-Great Western’s Zach Marrow and an unbeaten 21 from Noradjuha-Toolondo’s Jamie Byrne, were enough to see their side chase the required total with more than seven overs to spare.
Mr Combe thanked players, sponsors and attendees for their support, and said the match was likely to become an annual event to raise money for charitable causes.
“The players loved it,” he said.
“A lot of them have more flexibility with playing a Sunday here in town in a T20 format than travelling to Mount Gambier or Warrnambool and taking up a whole day playing representative cricket.
“A lot of the players have young families, so this format suits them down to a T.”
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!