GSCA 2025-26: Tambellup secure their grand final slot with rousing victory over Kendenup as batters shine

Tambellup will play Broomehill in the Great Southern Cricket Association’s Bendigo Bank Shield grand final after a rollicking victory at Kendenup on Sunday earned them a slot in Saturday’s showpiece contest. Although Nathan Willmott was the star of the show with the ball in the previous day’s elimination final, it was Tambellup’s batters who shone on Sunday and were the key element in their 116-run triumph. They will meet Broomehill on the Bandicoots’ home turf but two emphatic wins in the build-up to secure their place will have done their confidence no harm. And with Willmott a menace in the bowling attack, plus Flynn Cristinelli, Jedd Herbert and Connor Hawkins in fine form with the bat, Tambellup have the weapons to give Broomehill a fright and perhaps end their chances of claiming five Bendigo Bank shields in a row. Batting first at Kendenup in Sunday’s preliminary final, Flynn Cristinelli and Jedd Herbert gave the visitors a healthy platform, putting on 92 runs until the loss of Herbert (41) and then another 76 before Flynn Cristinelli was caught and bowled by Seb Ballard. The Tambellup skipper had reached his 50 by then but mistimed Seb Ballard’s delivery and popped the ball back to him for an easy catch having made 64. Hawkins survived several close calls at the start of his stint but soon found his feet and bludgeoned 68 off 57 balls, including eight fours and two sixes. He was caught by Jared Ballard off young Beau Sobey and proved to be Tambellup’s top scorer as Kendenup finally made inroads. It was always going to be too little too late as Tambellup had notched up 218 by the time Devon Cristinelli was dispatched for a duck by Jared Ballard and they ended on 9-250 with the addition of 13 runs apiece by Daniel Nazzari and Lachlan Bradshaw. The Kendenup reply was one of the all-guns-blazing variety and it was fun while it lasted. Seb Ballard, the GSCA player of the year, blasted away from the off including two huge sixes, one of which reached the tennis courts and the other the practice nets down the ground. One attempted wallop too many, however, led to him being caught by Bayley Drew off Wilmott – who else – for 26 off 20 balls. Darcy Roberts held firm for 24 balls before being caught by Flynn Cristinelli off Willmott for 13 and Jakob Douglas hit a swashbuckling 17 but nobody stayed in long enough to pose a real threat. James Douglas fired 18 off 15 balls and then Jared Ballard hit 16 off 14 but Justin Rose’s unbeaten 19 off 31 did little more than delay the inevitable as Kendenup fell in a heap, all out for 134. Willmott was again the best with the ball, adding 4-38 to his haul for the weekend while Jayden Drew chipped in with 3-23 to end Kendenup’s season and keep Tambellup marching on.