Darwin C.C. captain Jacob Dickman (128*), William Pilkington (5-37) lead Eagles to premiership glory
An incredible catch proved to be the key moment in a tense A-grade Darwin cricket two day grand final. Watch it here and see the full details from the stunning match.
A catch for the ages turned the 2025 DDCC A-grade two-day grand final on its head, delivering the Darwin Cricket Club an undefeated premiership season and its first two-day title since 2017.
The Eagles capped off a perfect red-ball season in style, holding their nerve in the field to secure a 51-run victory over Southern Districts.
It was the efforts of Kane Halfpenny that turned the match on its head, with a critical catch at bat pad to dismiss Districts captain Tim Garner as the match was on a knife’s edge.
On Saturday, Darwin’s grand final hopes took an early hit with Jake Weatherald recalled to Tasmania, leaving Jacob Dickman to carry the load.
Promoted bowler Kenny Wilton filled the gap, but the Eagles’ innings began disastrously as Louis Smith ripped through the top order, removing Justin Galeotti for a duck and Jordan Rossi soon after.
Dickman (128*) battled on while his partners fell cheaply – eventually reaching a hard-fought century to guide Darwin to 9/257 at stumps.
Darwin struck an early blow in the chase, Orlando Pender trapping Ryan Hammel in the third over.
From there the match settled into a stalemate as runs dried up and half chances went begging.
Patience paid off in the 35th when David Howe broke through, Sean Thompson (43) lofting to Justin Galeotti at short mid-wicket.
After lunch, Zeph Netherway (55) steadied the Crocs with a well-crafted half-century, only to fall lbw attempting a switch-hit off Reiley Mark.
At 4/129, Districts remained in the contest.
The momentum swung back into the hands of the Eagles when Garner fell in bizarre fashion.
Garner hit the ball into Halfpenny‘s foot – the ball deflecting upwards allowing Halfpenny to do a complete 360 spin before taking a remarkable diving catch.
Bowler of the match Will Pilkington then produced another miracle, leaping to snare a one-handed caught and bowled to remove Dylan Mullen.
He struck again to dismiss Louis Smith, leaving the Crocs reeling at 7/157.
Matt Hammond (24) and Anthony Scott (14) counterattacked briefly, but Darwin’s fielding intensity rose once more. Hammond toe-ended a catch to mid-off, Daniel Mylius was caught behind.
The final blow came in the 70th over, Hammond caught flashing behind, gifting Pilkington his fifth wicket and sealing the premiership with 11 overs to spare.
After the match, a relieved and overjoyed Jacob Dickman said the win was reward for hard work.
“A lot, a lot of hard work is how we got it (won) done,” he said.
“We just found a way.
“They (Districts) started really well and we had a real mind-shift at lunch.
“Our attitudes weren’t there and we probably thought it was going to come a little bit easier – so we addressed that.”
Aware that Districts had more than enough in the tank to chase down 257, Dickman said fielding – good and bad – and the efforts of Pilkington turned the match on its head.
“I thought we were really unlucky (in the field) with a few things, a few edges not going our way,” Dickman conceded.
“I was pretty worried, but that mindset change was massive.
“We followed the process, thought about the result and went back to bowling our best ball and kept it really simple.
“For me Pilkington was unreal.
“He’s done it with the bat for the last three months and he’s just done it with the ball.”
Reflecting on Halfpenny’s outrageous catch, Dickman said he wasn't surprised at all.
“We pride ourselves on creating something out of nothing and Kane did that,” he said.
“Kane (is) the best fielder on the park.
“He works so hard on his agility and fitness, so no surprise at all to see him do that.”
RESULT – Darwin 9/257 def. 206 (69.1) Southern Districts
Eagles: Jacob Dickman (128*), William Pilkington (5-37), Bailey Garnham (3WKC)
Crocs: Matt Hammond (4-99), Zeph Netherway (55)
Lion-hearted Dickman keeps Darwin’s pulse alive in grand final
We are all familiar with the saying, ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ right?
Boasting the most damaging opening duo of the competition – 2024 Sheffield Shield leading run scorer and Australia A opener Jake Weatherald and Ralph Weise Medallist Jacob Dickman – the Eagles game plan has been delicately balanced on its ability to score big and fast.
Unfortunately however, for the most important clash on the calendar, one half of this duo was absent.
Weatherald was missing for his team’s most important match of the season, recalled back to Tasmania for State duties.
In Weatherald’s stead, bowler Kenny Wilton was called up to the Eagles 1st XI – just his second cap of the two-day season.
The minor premiers won the toss and courageously elected to bat first.
Their start couldn’t have been worse.
Recent Australia A quick Louis Smith steamrolled through the top order, removing Justin Galeotti for a second-ball duck before Jordan Rossi (1) fell in the fifth over.
Opener Dickman and Kane Halfpenny briefly looked to settle things, but further drama unfolded in the 11th when Jacob Dickman was struck twice in succession on the toe by Smith’s dangerous yorkers.
The skipper hobbled off in pain, grimacing as he left the crease.
Halfpenny’s luck soon ran out when he flashed at one outside off and edged straight to Tim Garner at first slip.
At the nonstriker’s end, Dickman slammed his bat into the turf in sheer disappointment.
A lion-hearted half-century from Dickman kept Darwin afloat, but the wickets continued to fall around him.
Reiley Mark was dismissed by Hammond in the 33rd over – leaving the score at 4/110.
Later, with Darwin appearing to find rhythm again, Hammond struck once more.
William Pilkington’s attempted lofted drive miscued to the off side for 16.
At the other end, Dickman stood stranded yet again, thudding is willow in frustration as the scoreboard showed 6/186 in the 61st.
Darwin scraped past 200 in the 66th over, but the innings never truly took off.
Dickman became marooned in the 90s for several overs, watching partners come and go. Lenny Wilton overreached, top-edging a wild swipe straight over his own head where Garner took a sharp catch behind his own keeper.
Dickman eventually made his more than deserved ton, steering his men to 9/257 at the close of play.
STATS Day 1 –
Darwin: Jacob Dickman (128*), Kane Halfpenny (31)
Districts: Matt Hammond (4-99), Louis Smith (2-33)
GF PREVIEW: What you need to know for the DDCC A-grade 2-Day grand final
It’s time.
The final clash of the 2025 Darwin and Districts season is here — and it’s a big one.
This Saturday and Sunday, ladder-leaders Darwin C.C. face runner-up Southern Districts C.C. at DXC Arena, Marrara, for the A-grade two-day crown.
Both sides booked their ticket to the decider with comprehensive semi-final wins, setting up a grand final that could go either way.
Coming off a near-perfect season, Eagles captain Jacob Dickman said his side’s confidence is sky-high, though they won’t be getting ahead of themselves.
“Confidence is really high to be honest,” Dickman said.
“We’ve got a really good environment. Being undefeated in the two-day comp is a really nice feeling heading into the grand final.
“But we’re very wary of Southern Districts. For us, they’re probably Mr September — the best finals team I’ve seen in a long time.”
Mindful of the Crocs’ threats across the XI, Dickman said the Eagles’ focus will remain inward.
“(Districts) are always in finals for a reason, they always have that fight,” he said.
“Our focus is definitely on us, not much on them … it’s just about what we can control.”
Darwin’s campaign has been defined by its top-order batting and the all-round brilliance of Reiley Mark. But Dickman stressed that finals demand a full-team effort.
“Everyone has a role,” he said.
“Someone steps up in every game. Whether it’s (Jake) Weatherald, myself, Reiley (Mark) — everyone’s hungry.
“In the semi, our top order didn’t do a great job, but others stood up and won us the game.”
Dickman gave little away tactically, though he admitted Districts’ skipper Tim Garner looms as a key challenge.
“Someone like Timmy Garner, with that experience … not going to say we’ll target him, but we’ll have certain plans.
“Louis Smith’s a high-calibre bowler too — again, we’ve got plans for certain players.”
On the Crocs’ side, Dylan Mullen said his group is equally excited but knows the job isn’t done.
“We’ve made the semi or the final for the last few years and I put that down to camaraderie,” Mullen said.
“We’re a very tight group and have been for a while.”
Like Dickman, Mullen emphasised the need for all 11 players to deliver.
“Our coach always says in a final everyone has to contribute — bat, ball or in the field,” he said.
“We’re not relying on one or two players. We’ve shown all year we’ve got depth and we’ll need everyone to play their part.”
Mullen acknowledged that Darwin’s opening pair — Dickman and Weatherald — will be pivotal.
“Dicko and Weathers at the top there, they’re both quality players,” he said.
“But we also know they bat deep — just like us. Honestly, that’ll be the biggest factor: which team bats the other out of the game.”
The two sides square off this Saturday 13 and Sunday 14, with play starting at 12.30pm both days at DXC Arena.
Nightcliff, Tracy Village knocked out in A-grade semi finals
The 2025 two-day A-grade grand final match-up has been confirmed.
After the weekend’s semi-final clashes, ladder-leaders Darwin and second-placed Southern Districts secured spots in this weekend’s decider with dominant victories.
At Nightcliff Oval, the Tigers suffered a disappointing end to their season at the hands of the Eagles.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, Darwin made a horror start, losing their top three – Jordan Rossi (6), Jake Weatherald (1) and Jacob Dickman (0) – for just seven runs combined.
However, despite that dream start, Nightcliff failed to capitalise.
Justin Galeotti steadied the innings with a dogged 52 off 151 deliveries at number four, before Kane Halfpenny (22), Reiley Mark (44) and William Pilkington (55) mounted a stoic fightback to swing the momentum Darwin’s way.
Darwin were eventually bowled out for a defendable 230 (75.1), with Nightcliff captain Andrew Richards (4-46) and Jai Allman (3-41) returning the best figures.
Sent in before stumps on day one, Nightcliff surprisingly promoted Charlie Smith as nightwatchman.
The gamble immediately backfired when player of the match Mark, trapped him on the pads with the fourth ball of the innings.
Mark wasn’t done there, snaring Moe Spencer in the third over, then Niven Dovey and Jordan Roads in the fifth to leave the hosts reeling at 4/12.
Nicholas Fleming (41) and Rohan Philip (25) fought hard at seven and eight, but the damage was already done.
When the dust settled, Darwin’s early collapse was a mere footnote.
Mark stood tall as the Eagles’ hero, finishing with 6-39 from 21 overs to go with his invaluable 44 run contribution with the bat, to send the Larrakeyah club into the big dance.
Elsewhere, at Tracy Village Oval, the host side was also bested by the visitors.
Like Nightcliff, Tracy Village won the toss and elected to bat.
Recent Australia A representative Louis Smith struck early, removing Tracy captain Janu Varatharajan for a duck with the sixth ball of the match.
Wiehan Vorster Beukes (3) followed soon after, before Jake Gerrans (32) and Esam Rahman (93) steadied the innings.
Jack Doyle added 44 at number six, but a late collapse of 5/31 saw Tracy bowled out for 215. Behind the stumps, Daniel Mylius was electric with four catches, while Matt Hammond toiled through 27.5 overs to claim 4-76.
In reply, Southern Districts went on the attack with the bat.
Sean Thompson stole the show with an unbeaten 102 from 173 deliveries atop the order.
He was well supported by Zeph Netherway (51) and captain Tim Garner (32 n/o) helped seal the deal to win by eight runs with seven wickets in hand.
What you need to know ahead of the DDCC A-grade semi-finals
A new two-day champion is on the horizon in the DDCC A-grade competition, with 2024 premiers Palmerston out of the post-season.
Despite holding the 2025 title, the Satellite City fell two points short of a finals berth, going down to Darwin in a do-or-die clash in the final round of the regular season.
Likewise, runner-up Waratah also finds itself out of contention after a poor campaign that left the team anchored to the bottom of the table with a 1-5 record.
That leaves four teams in the hunt for glory, with Darwin, Southern Districts, Nightcliff and Tracy Village booking their spots in this weekend’s semi-finals.
SEMI FINAL 1: Southern Districts (2) v (4) Tracy Village
Tracy Village will host the Crocs in a clash shaping as a tight battle between second and fourth.
Districts had the upper hand in their July meeting, cruising to a commanding 348 & 0/205 to 139 win over the Village.
But Tracy’s batting has since sent a warning to the competition, piling on huge totals in their past two outings.
Despite that firepower, the side remains top-heavy, with only three players passing 200 runs for the season.
The Crocs, coming off the bye, will be fresh and ready to fire.
With a stronger bowling attack on paper, they’ll turn to skipper Tim Garner and seasoned campaigner Dylan Mullen to make the key breakthroughs.
Players to watch:
Jake Gerrans (TV) – The West Australian keeper-batter has been one of his side’s best with the bat this campaign, averaging 54 atop the order.
Jake Smith (TV) – A spinner from the nation’s capital has regularly found a crucial wicket or two and took 3-67 the last time the two teams met.
Ryan Hammel (Districts) –
Boasting a ridiculous average of 98.6 at number one, Hammel has terrorised the competition all campaign and looks the good to continue such form,
Dylan Mullen (Districts) – One of the most in form bowlers of the season, the quick is dialled in and is known to take wickets in clumps.
Match details:
Date: Sat 5 – Sun 6
Time: 12.30pm onwards
Where: Tracy Village Oval
SEMI FINAL 2: Darwin (1) v (3) Nightcliff
Nightcliff will have its hands full this weekend on home turf against the minor premiers and dangerous Darwin.
Out to right some wrongs after losing both the One-Day and T20 grand finals, the Tigers have a point to prove.
With momentum on their side following three straight wins, the beachside outfit will need to deliver a season-best performance.
Although they lack the batting firepower of the Eagles, the Tigers boast one of the most well-rounded bowling attacks in the league — Charlie Smith, Will Blair, Andrew Richards and Jai Allman are all more than capable of holding down an end.
For the Eagles, it has been a season defined by top-order batting that has rocketed the Larrakeyah side into the semis.
Led by the hard-hitting duo of Jake Weatherald (122.75 average) and captain Jacob Dickman (101.8 average), Darwin have piled on big totals throughout the season and have not been afraid to back their bowling — declaring in six of their seven matches.
Players to watch:
Jake Weatherald (Darwin) – The Shield opener has lit up the DDCC with three tons in his five visits to the middle. He is also an avid lover of spin and will likely look to punish the Tigers’ spin heavy line-up. Weatherald made 183 (n/o) the last time he played Nightcliff.
Reiley Mark (Darwin) – Prolific with the Kookaburra all campaign, the spinner is known to take the key wicket of an innings, and took four-fa the last time the two met.
Charlie Smith (Nightcliff) – Averaging under 23 with the ball the tall spinner had his best outing of the season last round.
Chris Kellaway (Nightcliff) – The Victorian opener has been a brilliant replacement for the departed Connor Carroll and Douwtjie Hoogenboezem atop the order, and has hit a purple patch of form, averaging 73.33 from his last three outings.
Match details:
Date: Sat 5 – Sun 6
Time: 12.30pm onwards
Where: Nightcliff Oval
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Originally published as Darwin C.C. captain Jacob Dickman (128*), William Pilkington (5-37) lead Eagles to premiership glory
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