Dream Team: Star-studded First XI from the last three Taverners cricket seasons
Taverners cricket dream team: Who have been the best of the best cricketers in the Tav’s competition over the past three years? Check out this ultimate starting XI featuring Australian representatives and future top guns. FULL TEAM
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Over the past three years there has been no shortage of junior cricket talent on show in the elite Taverners Under-17s competition.
Here a dream team XI is named highlighting the cream of the crop rookie cricketers who have left their mark on the past three seasons of a competition headed by reigning premiers University of Queensland.
As such, there are four young University players picked.
This weekend, Sandgate-Redcliffe host South Brisbane, Redlands host Norths, Toombul play away at the Gold Coast, Valley welcome Wests to Yoku road and Ipswich host Wynnum-Manly.
Up the Sunshine Coast, the Scorchers will face University.
Ahead of round 6, take a trip down memory lane and see which young stat kings made a name for themselves playing Taverners cricket.
TAVERNERS TEAM OF THE SEASON 2022
TAVERNERS TEAM OF THE SEASON 2023
TAVERNERS DREAM TEAM FROM THE PAST THREE YEARS
Sohaan Sharma (University)
On-the-rise Ipswich Grammar top order batsman Sohaan Sharma was steady last season averaging 17.5 and has taken a step up this year to score 401 runs at 80.2 in just five matches.
The leading scorer of the competition, Sharma has done his job against the new ball well for heavyweights Wests who last year made the grand final.
He would be our pick at opener for this team and he scores quickly which is a bonus
Alex Procopis (Northern Suburbs)
The Sunshine Coast kid was elite in the 2022 season, Propocis the leading run scorer with 545, 93 more runs than the next best scorer in Valleys gun Harry Frost.
Propocis built on his excellent Taverners form that year to be a beacon of light in the club’s under-19s side and even the Queensland under-19s.
He hit five fifties during the 2022 season and struck the ball at a remarkable 102.64 strike rate.
He was in a hurry.
Zac Robinson (Sunshine Coast)
Classy Sunshine Coast middle or top order batsmen Robinson began the 2023 season with a splendid innings where he scored 63 in a win over Toombul.
He then backed it up with scores of 37 not out, 110 not out, and 57, in the process announcing himself as the most reliable first drop batsmen in his age group.
Along the way he earned selection in the Queensland under-17 squad having scored 408 runs at 51 before the two finals matches.
He was special in a one-and-done Tav’s career, injury preventing him from playing much of 2022.
Blake Armstrong (University)
Outstanding Brisbane Boys’ College all-rounder Blake Armstrong has been one of the top elite junior cricketers in the state over the past 24 months spearheading his club team University.
Last season batting opener Armstrong scored 458 runs at 41.64 and in five games so far this season he is averaging 67.75.
He is also a trusted spin bowler. Last season he claimed 15 wickets and a fortnight ago he had a six-wicket haul.
What followed that? An epic knock of 118 against Valley.
Steve Hogan (Sandgate-Redcliffe)
The first player chosen in this side was Steve Hogan.
The Australian under-19s weapon has played three seasons of Taverners cricket. Back in 2022 he scored 447 runs at 55.88 during the home-and-away season. The following year he was on a tear, Hogan hitting 722 runs at 90.25.
In the finals that year, Hogan smashed 130 runs to bump his average up even higher.
He has only played two games this season but he could miss the rest of it and still be a lock.
Harley Malpass (Wynnum-Manly)
Malpass was a real do-it-all type for Wynnum-Manly last year, a heavy lifting all-rounder who was equally as impressive representing his school’s First XI.
The captain in 2023, Iona College ace Malpass had a topscore of 136 which he notched up against Wests in round four. He was also an economical bowler who picked up wickets when his team needed a breakthrough.
With plenty of responsibility on him, Malpassed scored 291 runs at 36.38 with the bat and took 13 wickets.
Hayden Hamilton (Wynnum-Manly)
The high-class Sea Eagles all-rounder has been moving mountains for Wynnum-Manly over the past two seasons and given the speed of knots at which he is improving this season, he was a must in this side.
Hamilton scored 220 runs at 27.5 last season, while also being a trusted bowler (nine wickets).
This season Hamilton has scored 305 runs at 61 as a tone-setting first drop batsmen.
He has four fifties in five innings.
Alex Walduck (University)
There was fierce competition for the wicketkeeper spot but Walduck snuck home.
He is an elite gloveman who is a batsman as well.
The young gun from Bulimba Cricket club has taken six catches this season and 13 last year, all the while rarely letting through byes and keeping batters on their toes with his quick glovework.
His solid start with the bat this season where he is averaging 30 cemented his spot among elite company.
Brayden Meegama (University)
Meegama was simply magical in 2022 and pipped some good ones to make this side.
In a competition choke full of talent, Meegama was a revered type from University who batsmen had little success off.
Also an elite fieldsman, Meegama left his mark with an epic fifer and remained consistent with telling spells across the 2022 season. He averaged just 7.26, Meegama claiming 31 wickets in 11 matches - eight more than the next best in Fergus McFadyen (23 wickets).
Lakshdeep Singh (Sandgate-Redcliffe)
Singh was on song from start to finish last season and there has been no sign of second season fever for the promising Gators spin bowler.
He led the competition with 30 wickets, bowled more overs (104) than anyone and averaged just 9.87.
He has been sharp to begin this season too. Singh is one of the hardest to put away in this competition evident in his economy rate of 2.84.
Charlie Lachmund (Ipswich)
The Ipswich pace bowler was excellent in 2023, a top notch opener who always came away with a handful of wickets.
In that stellar season Lachmund snared two fiffers with his improvement in varying pace key to his success at the bowling crease.
He led from the front with 27 wickets at 12.7 and was the head of the snake for the Hornets.
BIGGEST OMISSION:
JACKSON STEINHARDT (WYNNUM-MANLY)
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
JACK SONTER (WESTS)
KYE MARTIN (WESTS)
HARRY FROST, LUKE WARD, SAM LEWIS (VALLEY)
ROHAN BRADY (IPSWICH)
ZAK OLSEN (UNIVERSITY)
Oscar Bodimeade (Norths)
Have we missed someone? Have your say in the comment section.
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