Kensington legend Jake Brown joins illustrious three Bradman Medal group

The legend of veteran Kensington batsman Jake Brown’s continues to grow after he won a record-equalling third Bradman Medal as the leading player in SACA Premier Cricket.

ROLTON MEDALLIST: Tabatha Saville drives while playing for the Adelaide Strikers during this year’s WBBL. Picture: Steve Christo (AAP)

• Playing for keeps in third senior game
• Wicket caps Winter’s tale of success

Jake Brown’s legend continues to grow. On the verge of leading Kensington to its first two-day title in eight years, the club’s veteran captain on Wednesday night created more history when he became just the fourth player to win three Bradman Medals.

The 33-year-old allrounder, who successfully appealed a reprimand for showing dissent at an umpire’s decision in round 11 to remain eligible for the medal, polled a whopping 39 votes to beat West Torrens skipper and joint 2017-18 Bradman Medallist, batsman Kelvin Smith, by eight.

Adelaide University allrounder Sam Kerber was third on 26 votes.

Glenelg’s Jake Winter, who was ineligible for the medal, which recognises the best and fairest player in SACA men’s first-grade, after being reprimanded for swearing, polled the fourth-most votes, with 23.

Brown, who previously won the medal in 2013-14 and 2014-15, joined an elite club of three-time winners, alongside Sturt’s John Lill (1960-61, 1962-63, 1965-66), Adelaide University’s

Kensington wicketkeeper Lucas Forude, short leg, Henry Dall, and slip Jake Brown, appeal unsuccessfully for LBW against Tea Tree Gully’s Josh Macey. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Martin

Rob O’Shannassy (1968-69, 1979-80, 1980-81) and Adelaide’s Luke Williams (2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10).

No player has won four medals.

The Karen Rolton Medal as the best player in women’s first-grade was won by Northern Districts’ Tabatha Saville.

She won in a canter, polling 25 votes to eclipse Kensington’s Bridget Patterson and Sarah Lowe by nine.

Allrounder Saville, 20, enjoyed a dominant season, making 406 runs at an average of 58 and taking seven wickets at 12.24.

She became the second Jets player to win the Rolton Medal.

Brown, meanwhile, won Kensington’s ninth Bradman Medal.

His club’s all-time runscorer, Brown made 721 minor round runs at an average of 65.55 while also taking 15 wickets at 21.33.

The former Redbacks batsman made his medal move early, making 83 or more in five of his first six innings, including three centuries.

Capping off a stellar season., Brown also won the Fred Godson Medal as One-Day Cup player of the series.

While Winter’s one-match ban (suspended) didn’t cost him the Bradman, it did cost him a share of the Darren Lehmann Medal as the men’s best Twenty20 Cup player.

Winter tied with Adelaide allrounder Ben Pengelley but was ruled ineligible because of his indiscretion.

The women’s T20 medal, the Shelley Nitschke Medal, was won by West Torrens’ Ellie Falconer.

TEAM OF THE YEAR — MEN:

J. Winter (Glen), J. Brown (Kens, capt), K. Smith (WT), Brad Davis (Sturt, wkt), B. Pengelley (Adel), T. Andrews (Wood), S. Kerber (Uni), B. Hutchinson (TTG), Nick Benton (Port), B. Wightman (Uni), T. Oakley (TTG), B. Wakim (Uni).

TEAM OF THE YEAR — WOMEN:

T. McPharlin (ND, capt), B. Patterson (Kens), T. Saville (ND), L. Ebsary (WT), J. O’Reilly (SD), K. Armstrong (SD), K. Rattray (SD, wkt), T. McGrath (WT), E. Falconer

(WT), N. Iles (ND), S. Oates (Sturt), S. Betts (ND).