Sport
27 February, 2026
Carisbrook and Owls ready for nail-biter
A matter of inches looks destined to dictate the finals fates of Carisbrook and Maryborough when the hosts resume their tense run chase tomorrow.
With Beaufort needing 327 to defeat Laane, Carisbrook knows a successful run chase would likely bring them within three points of fourth.
However, failure would make their quest for a Grand Final return much trickier, needing an outright win against the Bulls in round 15 to crash the post-season party.
The Owls also have a lot at stake, bowling last season’s runner-up for less than 196 would stamp their successful A grade return with a finals berth.
With five Owls scoring 20 or above after they won the toss and elected to bat, Maryborough were on the verge of breaking through on numerous occasions last weekend.
For a bowling attack that has run hot and cold this season, allowing the most runs and taking the second fewest wickets in A grade, Carisbrook came up clutch when it mattered most, especially promising leg-spinner Axel Purcell.
Consistently playing in A grade is a daunting challenge for any teenager, but doing so with a specialty skill arguably the hardest to perfect can be a baptism of fire.
Even so, the rising star has shown mental fortitude beyond his years throughout this season, with his bowling proving vital on day one against the Owls with figures of 3/30.
With the bowlers doing their job, Carisbrook now relies on a batting lineup that’s impressed throughout this campaign and is full of confidence after blasting 324 versus Clunes.
Leading the order is captain William Coutts and teenage sensation Elliot Cullinan, quickly becoming a formidable opening partnership that’s produced 699 runs for Carisbrook.
Behind them is the ever dangerous Dean Nalder, who scored 55 in his last meeting with Maryborough, as well as Atticus Cullinan, Jordan Hooper and Martin Mark, who produced key knocks in Carisbrook’s aforementioned 324 in round 13.
Despite their recent bowling struggles, Maryborough will be bullish about their chances to stop Carisbrook thanks to the return of talented seamers Oliver Cassidy and Liam Maffescioni.
Not only are the duo proven wicket-takers with a combined 18 breakthroughs in 2025/26, but their inclusion will take a massive workload off Elliot Ashburn and Ben Hoban, who bowled 23 and 13 overs respectively against Laanecoorie Dunolly last round.
Alongside Purcell leading the next generation of frontline spinners, Jasper Trickey is another weapon at the visitors’ disposal, leading the Owls with 13 wickets this season.