Almanac (Club) Cricket – West Warrion v Deans Marsh: Cars, cypress pines and Swamp Rats all cop a hiding in the season opener.

 

A picturesque ground, new recruits, childhood mates, massive sixes and a good win. Cricket doesn’t get much better…

 

Round 1 – West Warrion v Deans Marsh, Oct 26, 2025

 

By Liam McCullagh.

 

Warmth has returned to the air, the nights are getting a little longer, and farmers across the region are cutting silage — which means the cricket season is upon us.

 

The season for the West Warrion Panthers began over the weekend, with the lower grades starting a week after the launch of a new premier competition across the Colac and South West region.

 

Entering teams in Division 2 and 3, West Warrion has undertaken a major recruitment drive for the upcoming season, adding eleven new or returning players — including my podcast co-host and former Warrion cricketer, Paul Liistro, who has joined as coach.

 

The Red Hot Rats sign, in front of a gate with no surrounding fence and beautiful cypress trees surrounding the Deans Marsh Recreation Reserve.

 

First up in Division 2 was Deans Marsh, away at their picturesque home ground — a match-up I wrote about last season here.

 

The Deans Marsh Swamp Rats are a team full of genuine nice guys, and it’s always a pleasure to play against them. Two of the ‘Rat Pack’ are my housemates, and a few others are old school friends. I was even an honorary Swamp Rat once, playing a night-time practice match against Lorne — but that’s a story for another day.

 

For Round 1, West Warrion’s Division 2 side featured six new or returning players, while Division 3 had two. It was a bit of a leap into the unknown, with many of us playing together for the first time.

 

An overcast day set the scene for a damp, heavy outfield at Deans Marsh. The thick grass and swampy surface made for a slow ground, sloping toward the cypress trees that circle the oval.

 

The facilities surrounding the cricket ground. A viewing platform, the social rooms and the ‘Footy Shed Gallery’.

 

The Deans Marsh setup is as “country cricket” as it gets — a viewing platform with couches and open space that’s perfect for watching the game. Most visiting teams use this area, though closed rooms in the “Footy Shed Gallery” are also available. Inside, the club’s social rooms feature premiership photos, a large TV showing Australia v India, a timber-finished bar, and artwork of the Swamp Rat mascot.

 

Winning the toss, West Warrion elected to bat first.

 

Opening batters Deakin Carmichael and Damon Wetermans in the away teams viewing platform. What a place to watch cricket!

 

Deakin Carmichael, a gritty left-hander, and Damon “Damo” Wetermans, the swashbuckling new recruit from Simpson, opened the batting.

 

Opening the bowling for the Swamp Rats was my housemate Toby Permezel, a tricky customer who can move the ball both ways.

 

Deak and Damo started positively, rotating the strike well, before Deakin fell for 5 (9), chipping a leg glance to midwicket.

 

GUN: Man of the Match (quite clearly) Xav Prime.

 

That brought in Xavier Prime — a club legend and the embodiment of loyalty. A chicken farmer from Cororooke, Primey is a powerful left-hander who could easily still be playing Division 1 elsewhere, but he continues to invest his time and experience at West Warrion.

 

It took him just eight balls to clear the ropes for his first six — a flick over backward square leg. The next ball also went for six, landing a metre behind my car! I watched it soar into the air, thrilled at the shot but horrified as it headed straight toward my vehicle. Thankfully, it missed, and I quickly moved the car — just in time, as two balls later he hit another one into the car park.

 

By the seventh over, Damo joined in with his first six. Four sixes in seven overs — I couldn’t believe the hitting.

 

The pair continued their onslaught until Damo was trapped LBW in the 14th over by my good mate Dylan Brown, who travels back from Melbourne to play. Dyl was expensive early but finished strongly, taking 3/68 from eight overs.

 

Damo’s wicket brought in Max Hutch, an ultra-talented batsman returning after two seasons away, having last played Premier Thirds for Geelong CC. Max and our No. 5, Charlie Morrissy, are best mates — they even spent the morning fishing somewhere between Lorne and Wye River before the game.

 

Primey continued his onslaught, his biggest six soaring three-quarters up a cypress tree. “It was the only one I really got,” he said later.

 

By the 18th over, Primey was dismissed for a blistering 91 (53) after a brilliant diving catch at gully from the 6’5″ Zach Zydbel, again off the bowling of Dyl Brown.

 

SMASHED: Xav Prime enjoying a well earned rest after blasting 91.

 

Max took charge before drinks, smashing 20 runs off the final over of the first session, including three fours and a six, setting us up at 3/166 after 20 overs.

 

He went on to make 37 (25) before falling, while Liistro added 19 (20) with two consecutive sixes off left-arm spinner Josh Waldron.

 

The 34th over saw two quick wickets — Morrissy for 28 (46) and wicketkeeper Anthony Young, dismissed first ball on club debut.

 

The final few overs saw a small collapse — including myself with a very ordinary 6 (11) — and we finished with 9/261 from 40 overs.

 

Deans Marsh put on an outstanding afternoon tea: pies, leftover lamb sandwiches, and even an orange cake baked by Harry McCann.

 

Chasing 262 was always going to be tough, especially with Deans Marsh missing two of their best batters — opener Nick Sneskov (a late out) and my housemate Harry Carmody, still recovering after returning from Thailand the day before.

 

Ethan Coverdale and Liistro opened the bowling, with me first change. We bowled tight lines, not giving much away.

 

Zach Zydbel looked dangerous at No. 4, hitting a big six over mid-on, but Ethan got his revenge the next ball with a low full toss caught at long-on by James “Buckets” McNabb — aptly nicknamed for his massive, reliable hands.

 

I bowled left-hander Josh Waldron in my first over with a big inswinger that crashed into off stump.

 

That brought Lochlan Hart — a schoolmate-turned-policeman — to the crease. It was great to see Loch, but I was desperate to get him out. I bowled seven balls to him for just one run before Darcy Dwyer got him, ending a good little battle with no clear winner.

 

Matt Millen and Jack Lavery offered some resistance as dark clouds loomed, with Deans Marsh looking to survive until the rain. We rushed through overs before drinks, making a few bowling changes.

 

McNabb came on and snagged a wicket, before Primey returned with his left-arm seamers to clean up the tail — 4/10 from 4.4 overs.

 

Deans Marsh were all out for 83 from 27.4 overs, giving West Warrion a 178-run win to start the season — the largest win I’ve ever been part of in senior cricket.

 

It was an incredibly proud moment for the club, especially given the number of new and returning players. The victory launches West Warrion to the top of the ladder, and the energy and enthusiasm around the club are sky-high.

 

FINAL SCORES

West Warrion 9-261	Deans Marsh 83.
X. Prime 91. M. Hutchinson 37. D. Wetermans 31. C. Morrissy 28. M. Millen 3-43 (8) D Brown 3-68 (8)	M. Millen 18. J. Waldron 17.     X. Prime 4-10 (4.4) E. Coverdale 2-25 (7)

 

Listen to the Line and Length podcast with myself and Paul Liistro https://play.listnr.com/podcast/line-and-length-podcast?utm_source=listnr&utm_medium=web_responsive&utm_campaign=internal_share&utm_content=10wQNVLkiclC1C9gJOLga8

 

Read more from Liam McCullagh HERE.

 

 

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