23/03/2026
Season 2025/2026 is done and dusted, and finished with the Cattery Cup Cupboard getting a dust to welcome a new resident.
With the blaring of a horn, a rather loud (and somewhat exhausted little ho**er), our C-Grade were victorious in their Grand Final matchup against second placed Jeeralang-Boolarra. The win delivered a third C-Grade premiership from the last six seasons, incredibly the C’s only missing the finale once - and that was because of poor numbers and we were not able to field a third team.
Grand Final weekend was a terrific showcase of local cricket with the twelve competing teams across the six divisions coming from eleven different clubs. With clubs like ourselves joined by small communities like Jeeralang, Boolara, Yinnar, Rawson, Thorpdale. It was certainly a weekend for the country cousins.
Unfortunately in our division there could only be one winner but we offer our thanks to the Panthers and congratulate them on their season.
Also it is worthwhile mentioning their supporters who really added a great atmosphere to the day, cheering on their team in large numbers.
Heading into the match with a heavily experienced squad, we won the toss and immediately elected to bat knowing that runs on the board would be the key if the six members of the team without medals would be smiling at the end of the match.
With the early morning drizzle impacting conditions, predicting a matchwinning target on the large Yinnar Football Reserve had the experts in the Members Stand listing anything from 140 to 180. Reflecting back on our previous premiership win at the same ground when we defended 9/110, batting through the 40 overs would again be a key focus.
Opening the batting for CATS was the reliable Webley-Mustoe combination, and unlike his ultra-cautious approach from last week Big Steve cut the first ball of the decider for a boundary.
This intent was essentially the pattern of the day, for even as wickets fell each batsman took a team-first approach. So even while we uncharacteristically had lost both openers early while the score was only on 8, steady knocks from Harrup, Beaver, Hepburn and Wilson saw the run rate remain a challenge for the opposition bowlers as our total ended on 179, leaving the Panthers a total of 180 to chase down - at an achievable 4.5 runs per over.
Derek Hepburn, returning to the club after a few seasons on a physio bench, led the way with a confident 47no (54 balls) with 7 strong boundaries. His partnership with his sidekick Luke Wilson off 63 runs was a crucial part of our win.
The Harrup-Beaver pairing produced 43 runs, and Beaver with the Skipper putting on 30 being the three biggest partnerships of the innings.
As the large CATS contingent debriefed over the afternoon tea break enjoying the hospitality of Raiders - who did an outstanding job of hosting a mini-Carnival with their second oval hosting the B-Grade playoff. The consensus was the total would be safe as long as our bowlers played out the final game of the year in the same fashion they typically perform.
The Jeeralang-Boolara lineup had some very handy bats, who collectively had more than enough power and maturity to really challenge us. Fortunately the well-worn opening bowling partnership of Luke Wilson and Tom Hagley delivered as expected. After their opening spells, the scoreboard sat at 1/28 off 16 overs, the wicket falling to Hagley and the Panthers needing 152 runs at a climbing rate that now sat at almost 6 and half runs an over.
With the ‘Langers boom box enjoying the boundaries and the CATS Ho**er not having too much to sing about, some great partnerships were built by the Panthers. The second wicket (which fell to Wilson Jnr.) was a strong 35 runs while the third wicket partnership started to cause the assembled club veterans even whiter shades of grey hair to sprout from their noggins.
An unnamed cattle farmer almost jumped the fence to get into a decent fielding location if the boys in blue weren’t going to realise it themselves. With the score almost reaching triple figures and eight wickets still in the shed, the game was sitting very evenly poised.
Maybe inspired by the growing bank of CATS supporters on the hill, many fueled by the delicious hamburgers on sale by Raiders (of course the meat would be good at The Ranch!) and the cold beverages, Skipper Fleming began some creative tweaking of the bowlers, turning to Beaver and Wilson Jnr, before turning unexpectedly to the Greatest Cowwar Footballer to ever play cricket at Yinnar for a sneaky over.
However it was the masterstroke to throw the ball to Tony Harrup that turned the match. With the score on 98 Harrup nudged the hard hitting Duffy into a big hit that saw him caught by Beaver. Beaver then followed up 5 balls later to clean bowl the new batsman for a duck - 4/99. And the unnamed cattle farmer started to settle down.
Tony, sensing a Norm Smith, then took a chest mark off a skied return catch. His bowling figures sitting at 2/0, and Nathan’s BOG’s tally sitting at 0/2. But still at the crease was the dangerous Nathan Spark.
The Sparks lads have entertained and frustrated us in equal measure over the decades - deeply loved by teammates and well respected as competitors. We knew the importance of Nathan’s wicket and while we celebrated Beaver’s next two wickets (Nice catch River) loudly, the crowd wondered if the little bandit would get his team over the line.
In short time though, the dilemma was solved when Sparksy was run out at the non-strikers end returning for a second run his partner (may, or may not have) called for. Another classy bit of outfielding by River and clean hands over the stumps by Bresci Wilson.
And didn’t that little ho**er get excited then with the scorecard sitting at 8/126.
The TikTok generation in the crowd started getting excited, videoing each ball in an effort to try to have the winning moment recorded in history.
The man widely known as the biggest influencer in Traralgon South, didn’t disappoint. Sensing a big moment would not only put the second last nail in the coffin, but also lift the total of followers he has on Instagram, Tom Hagley () took a high flying mark rekindling Sarah’s memories of when Tom played second fiddle to Tony Modra back when they lived in South Australia.
Score at 9/141 - Bresci Wilson with three wickets and sensing he could take the Norm Smith off Tony, and potentially use the double-medal look to gain some added interest later in the night at The Deck.
But strike back did our Tony, combining with Liam Pass to execute a run out and deliver victory to the Boys from the Cattery.
Cue the celebrations.
Sound the Horn.
Let out a big meow.
Congratulations to Skipper Dale Fleming in leading the club to it’s fourth C Grade Premiership (to add to the two A-Grade, three B-Grade) and making himself the club’s only three-time premiership skipper. A fantastic reward for many, many years of hard work.
Also we acknowledge Dale, as well as Luke Wilson and Tony Harrup, as the trio who have played in each of the three recent C-Grade flags.
A highlight this year are the first senior premiership medals handed to six players. A well earnt reward to club veterans Steve Webley and Derek Hepburn, a huge buzz for two blokes early in their time at the club in Harry Low and River Hendrix (but a well earnt reward after their huge efforts this year to improve) as well as two U/14 junior players that we just love having alongside us in Tom Wilhelm and Liam Pass.
And when you add Shane Mustoe, Tom Hagley, Bresci Wilson and Corey Beaver to the list you can see why the team was so successful at the business end of the year.
Congratulations to everyone at CATS, both on and off the field, for their efforts not only on Saturday to get the team over the line but across the whole season. It certainly takes a mountain of work to make it happen. We are blessed to have so many generous and talented volunteers.
And for those interested:
Yes, Tony Harrup snared the first BOG medal to grace the house
Yes, Harry Low, as expected, was BOG in the celebrations.
Yes, Bresci shot off early from the celebrations but was spotted in the The Deck socials.
