After a week of full-on competition, the 2025/26 North East Region Six Junior Country Week Carnival wrapped up on Sunday, with division grand finals played up on the border.

The Under 12 Don Dennis Shield grand final was an all-WDCA affair, with the association’ juniors outperforming their Cricket Albury Wodonga counterparts in the group stage.

Ultimately, WDCA Blue had the edge over WDCA Gold, winning the decider by six wickets.

After winning the toss and batting, WDCA Gold put on 7/158 from their 40 overs, but Blue made 4/161 from 36.4 overs.

Tom Lambert starred with the bat for Gold, valuing his wicket to end unbeaten on 42* (59), while Edward Clancy (32 off 48) and Jack McKenzie (23 off 67) also batted extremely well.

Rylan Harris was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 2/24 from his six overs, while Thenuk Alwis took an economic 1/21 off his set of six.

In reply, WDCA Blue’s top three batters took the game away, with George Pfahlert (20 off 41), Hunter Harris (30 off 70) and Tyler Mullavey (53 off 60, ret) all building substantial innings.

Isaac McLarty (14 off 25) and Thenuk Alwin (15* off 15) would also chip in to get the team over the line, despite the best efforts from Jack McKenzie (2/14 off five).

The under 13 Blue side made it to their grand final, but came up just 10 runs short against CAW Thunder, finishing at 5/186 after 40 overs.

CAW’s George Smith and Max Godde were tough to dislodge, both making half centuries before retiring, but WDCA’s Ethan Millis (2/16 off four) and Judd Carrol (1/16 off four) bowled well to contain them.

With a target of 197 for victory, WDCA were of to a great start thanks to opener Benji Wollington (52 off 90), while Jenson Morris cracked a 41-ball half century batting at four.

A slight middle order collapse halted progress, and while Lachlan Brown (15* off 19) and Ethan Millis (13* off 17) fought hard, they came up just short.

The under 14 grand final was won by WDCA Blue in a low-scoring thriller against CAW Stars.

After batting first and being bowled out for 92 in less than 29 overs, WDCA Blue rolled the opposition for just 85 runs to secure the shield.

Louis Sanderson top scored with 24 off 29 with the bat, with Mitch McMasters (16 off 21) and Bodi Jackson (13 off 50) the only other batters to crack double figures.

With a low total to defend, the WDCA bowlers needed to execute perfectly.

Charles Herbert would find the breakthrough, bowling Thomas Chandler for the first of his three wickets on his way to a match-winning 3/15 off seven.

The only CAW batter to make it past eight runs was opener Charlie Scammell, who hit 23 off 62, but it’s hard to bat with no partners.

Taj Parker (2/5 off five) and Jordan Knight (2/8 off five) were the other multiple wicket-takers, while Louis Sanderson (1/14 off 7.2), Finn Mitchell (1/11 off four) and Jobe Warner (1/12 off three) picked up a pole as well.

The under 15 decider came down to the wire, with the match ultimately drawn between WDCA and CAW, as both teams had made 213 runs after their 40 overs.

Batting first, WDCA’s innings was propped up by an astonishing knock from Taylor Thomson, who raised his bat with a century off just 88 balls.

The innings featured 11 boundaries and three maximums, retiring with a ton striking at 113.63.

Max Marek also performed well, finishing unbeaten at 56* from 66 balls.

With ball in hand, Luke O’Brien (3/30 off eight) and Luca Solimo (3/48 off eight) struck repeatedly, keeping the pressure on CAW, while Thomson continued his cracker day with figures of 1/26 from seven overs.

While they didn’t play a full carnival, the league’s best female cricketers had a chance to shine when they took on an under 15 team from CAW.

Although the WDCA side fell by 17 runs, it was still a great game.

CAW made 8/148 after being sent in, with WDCA’s Ava Penney the pick of the bowlers with her 2/7 from four overs.

Penney also did well with the bat, finishing unbeaten on 17*, while Ella Tucker (21 off 30), Phoebe Cresswell (17 off 30) and Bridie Kay (16 off 14) also batted well.