UGSCA 2025-26: Kukerin-Dumbleyung take long road to grand final glory as Pingelly-Noonebin sink on home turf

Kukerin-Dumbleyung may have finished fourth in the regular-season ladder, but they swept to the Upper Great Southern Cricket Association B-grade flag with a comprehensive demolition of Pingelly-Noonebin in the grand final on Saturday. They may have done it the long way, but there was no stopping Kukerin-Dumbleyung as they racked up 8-161 on the turf wicket at Pingelly Sports Ground and dispatched their hosts for 79 in a chase which got stuck from the start. The 82-run victory which secured the flag came after an elimination final win over Boddington and a preliminary final victory over minor premiers Wagin as they timed their best form for the matches that mattered. A half-century from man-of-the-match Scott Jefferis, just as they had the wobbles, steadied the ship and ensured their total was to be a step too far for Pingelly-Noonebin — despite Stewart Wright taking 4-21 for the losing side. Batting first after winning the toss, Scott Gray got the Kukerin-Dumbleyung ball rolling with a patient 39 off 76 balls. He lost partners Andrew May for a duck and then Ryan Taylor for six, but moved things along in tandem with Peter Joyce who lasted 41 balls for his 24 runs. When Gray fell lbw to Stewart Wright, Kukerin-Dumbleyung were 5-88 but Jefferis upped the pace with a sparkling, unbeaten 51 off 50 balls. His knock, which including one six and six fours, was the best of the day. For the hosts, Henry Blechynden took 2-38 with Lucas Hull (1-28) taking the scalp of Joyce. Other than Josh Hobley’s 30 off 15 balls, there was little to cheer about the Pingelly-Noonebin response. Andrew Marshall’s unbeaten 10 was the only other score to reach double figures as David Head snared 4-13 on an enjoyable day for the Kukerin-Dumbleyung strike force. Ryan Smith took 2-6, Jonty Robinson 2-8 and James Hesse 2-30.