HORSHAM'S under-15 Country Week wrapped up on Friday, with Warrnambool Gold taking out the title after an eight-wicket win over South West at Horsham City Oval.
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Warrnambool Gold won the toss and elected to bowl, with South West openers Hamish Huffadine and Trent Reid making a slow but steady start.
A change of bowlers proved the trick for Warrnambool Gold, with right-arm medium-pacer Bailey Timms tearing through the top order, leaving the South West innings at 3-23.
Left-armer Jacob Hetherington ensured there was no let up, removing South West skipper Lachie Wareham for a golden duck, and following up with another wicket soon after.
Lachie Hawkins, 16 not out, and Jack Atkins, 15, combined for a 32-run partnership, before South West was dismissed for 88 runs inside the 37th over.
Hetherington finished with figures of 3-12, while Timms, 3-13, and Wil Fleming, 2-5, also strongly contributed.
Warrnambool Gold saw through a tricky period before lunch with the bat, before a 50-run stand all but played South West out of the game.
Wareham and Louis Cain both picked up a wicket, but 30 runs from opener Charlie Locke and undefeated contributions from Connor MacLeod, 25, and captain Liam Brown, 17, saw Warrnambool Gold cruise to victory with 18 overs to spare.
Hetherington won Horsham Sports and Leisure's Player Of The Day award for his bowling efforts.
He said it was good to dismiss the opposition captain first ball and have a win.
"We've had a good week, the boys did well through the week and it got us here," Hetherington said. "I was happy with my bowling spell. He came in and first ball it just swung into him and bowled him."
In the third-place playoff, Wimmer-Mallee proved too good for Hamilton District on the back of another spectacular Joe Reid performance in a Twenty20 match at Coughlin Park.
Reid scored an undefeated 57 as his side chased down Hamilton District's 4-125 with five wickets in hand.
Hamilton District's Riley Pickering, 49 runs, and captain Mitch Lang, 36, provided important knocks, but Reid, with support from Jordan Murray, 24, and Leetyn McKenzie, 20, got Wimmera-Mallee over the line.
Warrnambool Gold captain Liam Brown was named player of the tournament, while South West won the Spirit of Cricket award.