AIC First XI cricket’s Super 30 cricketers since 2020
AIC First XI cricket’s Super 30 players since 2020 revealed here as we celebrate the best of the best so far this decade.
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Here they are, the best 30 cricketers we have seen in the AIC First XI competition so far this decade.
We named 10 batsmen, 14 allrounders and six top notch specialist bowlers.
TERRIFIC 10 BATSMEN
Steve Hogan (St Patrick’s College)
The No. 1 AIC batsman this century, Hogan has that x-factor only the special ones possess. Last November, as a Year 10 student at Paddies, Hogan made his first grade debut for Sandgate-Redcliffe.
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Last month he was named Player of the Carnival following the Australian under 17 championships and was the only Queenslander named in the national under 17 side. Like a lot of champion batsmen, Hogan has a compact build he uses to his advantage. Having made his First XI debut as a Year 9 student in 2022, Hogan accumulated more than 2000 runs in the 2022-23 season across AIC Firsts, Lord Taverners under 16s and senior grade. Those numbers say it all.
Will Nickelson (Marist College Ashgrove)
Marist College Ashgrove has produced some pretty good cricketers over the years – including Matthew Hayden who is a Test great and Peter McPhee who was a Sheffield Shield bowler – and one of the best of the modern era has been Will Nickelson.
Even last weekend he was among the runs, making 83 in Ashgrove’s win over Padua. Last season he scored two centuries and another two 50s while being the team’s gloveman.
Harley Malpass (Iona College)
Malpass was one half of a dynamic duo – the other was Zayne Thomas (featured below) – who rewrote the history books by sharing a stand of 317 last year.
Batting at No. 3, his contribution was 116 not out in a season where he averaged 129.33. Also a tidy medium pace bowler, Malpass – the son of tennis ace Ian – is the batsman every bowler wants to dismiss again this season.
Zayne Thomas (Iona College)
Thomas set a benchmark no one got within cooee of this century with his 252 not out in a record breaking partnership of 317 with Harley Malpass. What a prized scalp he became. He also took 12 wickets at 14 with medium pace last season, but he will be forever remembered for his unbeaten double century.
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Oliver Lunt (St Laurence’s College)
Lunt was the premier batsman of the competition in 2021, scoring 315 runs at an average of 45. When games started against Laurie’s, every opposition bowler asked the same question – how do we get him out? That he was the No. 1 player named on the opposition players’ tip sheet is the best comple\iment we can give him.
George Kelsall (Padua College)
Kelsall had a highest score of 124 in the 2021 season, while also taking 10 wickets with medium pace.
But it was his batting which rival teams most feared. Kelsall was an elite performer and his entry into our story was a formality.
Finn Thallon (Villanova College)
Thallon was an entertaining, aggressive batsman who had a 2023 strike rate of 79 runs per 100 balls faced. His summer included a century, and in all he scored 276 runs at 92, having batted for 540 minutes across the summer. His older brother Ben was an excellent Firsts player as well.
Ryan Pembroke (Padua College)
Until last season’s record breaking 317 run partnership between Iona pair Harley Malpass (116 not out) and Zayne Thomas (252 not out), the greatest AIC innings of the century belonged to Padua’s Ryan Pembroke. It may still be the best.
In 2022 against Villanova at Andrew Slack Oval, Pembroke steered his team’s recovery from 6-127 and 7-197 to chase 265 and win.
Padua made 9-268, with Pembroke scoring 165 not out from just 144 balls. The most astonishing part of his performance was that Pembroke scored all but one run in the last wicket stand of 46. In season 2021 Pembroke was also excellent for Padua College with scores of 24, 64, 7, 4, 9, 17 and 50 while also taking 10 wickets after making his debut as a youngster in 2020.
Tom Stenhouse (St Laurence’s College)
The Laurie’s left-hander was named 13th man when he announced our Team of the Season in 2022.
He batted with authority, and an extra cheer went out around the field when he was dismissed – always a back handed compliment to a player. He scored 247 runs at 49 during the summer of ‘22, and was easily one of AIC’s top batsmen this decade.
Mitchell Yarrow (Iona)
Yarrow was one of the best players in the competition in 2021, iced by a splendid century (108).
He was also a handy bowler, with a season best effort of 6-10 against St Peters Lutheran College capping off a great senior season for him.
AWESOME 14 ALL-ROUNDERS
Braithyn Pecic (Padua College)
You cannot beat Pecic when it comes to all-rounders. For versatility, he was the best in the business. Not only was he the Padua captain, but he often opened the batting, bowled off spin – before reverting to his role behind the stumps as the wicketkeeper. He really was two players in one for Padua.
Charles Moore (St Patrick’s)
A veteran of four seasons in the Firsts, Moore was outstanding for Paddies’ and although he would have liked to turn his starts into big scores, he consistently scored runs and took wickets with his leg spin.
Will Tozer (Padua College)
A young veteran of the First XI cricket scene, Tozer was an elite all-rounder who could take the match away from the opposition in a hurry with the bat, while garnishing his batting effort with regular wickets. This season he will again be one of the most celebrated wickets in the competition, which is a tribute to his ability. He is also a First XV rugby representative.
Louis Morris (Ashgrove)
He could make our list as a bowler, but his batting demands his lofty standing as an all-rounder.
Would you believe his strangling slow bowling conceded just 1.48 runs per over last season, while taking 18 wickets. He Morris is also a top six batsman who has already scored a half century this season.
Ben Buechler (St Patrick’s College)
All-rounder, bruising Buechler was one of Paddies’ top handful of players this decade, with aggressive batting in the mould of Mitchell Marsh (Test representative).
He fearlessly took on the bowlers, and also troubled batsmen with his talented medium pace swing bowler.
Ben Fingland (Villanova)
A little like Buechler who we just mentioned, Fingland could swing a match with either bat or ball. He once slammed 81 from 97 balls in the same season he claimed 5-8 bowling his medium-fast deliveries. He was a high class all-rounder.
Xavier Santos (St Laurence’s College)
A veteran of four seasons of First XI cricket, Santos has been a pillar of strength for Laurie’s over the seasons, with his reliable batting and dependable right arm medium deliveries the backbone of Laurie’s campaigns.
Cayman Poole (Iona College)
We regard glovemen in the all-rounder category and as a result the Iona College captain of the 2022 premiership winning side was an automatic inclusion in our story. Poole was a top order batsman, leader and keeper who was the glue of the side. Poole was a three season First XI veteran.
Tom Rieck (Villanova College)
Hardened by two previous First XI campaigns – including helping Villanova to the 2021 premiership – Rieck’s final season was a ripper – he was the captain, claimed 12 wickets at 18 and made 150 runs at 30. It was a series of performances which pushed him into our 2023 Team of the Season.
Sree Bachu (St Peters)
Bachu was central to St Peters’ revival as a First XI force over the last couple of summers. Whether with the bat or the ball, Bachu was always in the game. Last season he took seven wickets at 24.57 and scored 151 at 25, making our Team of the Season.
Cameron Bukowski (Villanova)
The multi-talented all-rounder was a gun for the Villanova premiership winning side when he averaged 34.50 while also taking six wickets in 2021 with his medium pace swing. In between rugby league commitments, the young Broncos’ player was a three season First XI player who finished his cricket career on a high last season with a blazing century from just 75 balls.
Patrick Schmidt (St Edmund’s College)
Schmidt was an ace all-rounder who spearhead Eddies’ spirited efforts earlier this decade. He could bowl economically and take wickets, while also absorb pressure and bat well whether wickets had fallen early or not.
Connor Moloney (Villanova College)
We just had to get Moloney into out top 30 - somehow. He was a multi-talented sportsman who, in cricket, could find a wicket or score runs. It was appropriate he finished his three season First XI career with a remarkable century from just 63 balls last season.
Joey Laner (Ashgrove)
Never far from runs or wickets, Laner is a 2023 premiership winner who helps balance out a strong Ashgrove side which will be hard to beat again this season. This season he has already scored 64 and taken 1-10 against Villa, and last weekend snared 2-15 and made 21.
VERY BEST OF THE BOWLERS
Ben Jeffs (Villanova)
Fast bowler Jeffs was the best in the business. His teammates disliked facing him in the nets and opposing batsmen hated confronting him in the middle. He was a huge factor in Villa winning the premiership in 2021, snaring 24 wickets in seven games including two six wicket hauls against St Pat’s and Padua.
Jacob Kumaru (Ashgrove)
Kumaru was shoulder to shoulder with Jeffs (mentioned above) as the AIC’s best bowler this decade. He hauled in 20 wickets for Ash, including 6-19 against eventual premiers Villanova. It was arguably the fast bowling performance of the summer.
Sam Lewis (Ashgrove)
At the other end of the pace scale is Lewis, a rookie who made his First XI debut as a Year 9 student and is going from strength to strength this season. A 2023 premiership winner, only last Saturday Lewis claimed another five wickets to bowl Ash to victory over Padua – just seven days earlier he had claimed four wickets in Ashgrove’s win against Villanova.
Tom Biggs (Iona)
Tom Biggs was an accomplished left arm medium pacer who last season played in the Redlands first grade side during its premiership winning season. He was injured as a Year 11 student, but we were delighted to see him as a senior in the First XI competition.
Matt Harvie (St Peters)
St Peters Lutheran College’s First XI outfits went down a couple of dry gullies earlier this decade, but they were led to an oasis last season by Sree Bachu (mentioned earlier) and leg spinner Matt Harvie. With his courageous, skilful looping deliveries, South Brisbane junior Harvie took batsmen outside their comfort zone. He claimed 13 wickets at 13 last season – great figures for a leggie.
Dylan Macateer (St Edmunds)
The St Edmund’s College old boy of 2020 gave even the best batters troubles with his leg spin. Now playing in the Ipswich Hornets second grade side - he has played first grade as well - Macateer was a junior Australian selection.
Matthew Pereia (St Patrick’s College)
Teams would love to have a few Matthew Pereia’s in their side. Steady, lion-hearted, dependable – you build cricket teams around him and it was those traits which saw us elevate him into our Team of the Season last year. He deserves his place in this company. Last season he was Paddies’ No. 1 wicket taker and second on the AIC list for the season.
SPECIAL MENTIONS
Bode Richardson (Iona College)
An off spinning ace, Richardson was outstanding for Iona, and once took a haul of 6-17 to bring down Ashgrove.
Daniel Linning (Iona College)
Leg spinner Linning was a three season First XI player for Iona Iona College who worked wonders at the bowling crease in tandem with his brother Archie.
He benefited from a team bowling unit, but Daniel had the special something about his bowling that could find a wicket. The Linning brothers also took 18 wickets between them one season for Iona.
Cooper Mackie (Ashgrove)
The scorer of an even century earlier this decade, he was a fine batting performer during the 2020-21 seasons for Ashgrove.
Baiden Parker (Villanova)
Every team needs a Baiden Parker. He was reliable to the core, in one season making 37, 21, 30, 48, 1, 11 and 30 while also claiming six wickets.
Kobe Rae (St Edmund’s College)
He did a good job for Eddies’ during the 2021 season, putting together a nice summer which netted him scores of 7, 45, 66, 16, 27, 22 and 12.
Curtis Beevers (St Peters)
Beevers best summer for the Firsts saw him claim 5-27 against Padua on his way to claiming wicket wickets, while also scrambling a handy 115 runs. Not a bad return in a side which was not always on the front foot.
Nicolas Parrott (St Laurence’s)
When Oliver Lunt (mentioned in the top 12 batsman) was having a summer to remember, his sidekick was Parrott who amassed 225 runs at 32, while also taking a haul of 3-14.
Ben Naish (St Edmund’s College
Naish was a lovely looking batsman not out of place here. As elegant as he was, Naish also had that gritty element to his play both as a batsman and accurate medium-fast seamer.
Adam Ritcher (Iona)
A veteran of three seasons in First XI cricket, Richter is a new ball bowler and clean striking lower order batsman who leads from the front.
Mackenzie Douglas (St Laurence’s)
Douglas was an excellent player not out of his depth in this company. A former College Captain, he bowled leg spin and batted well in the middle order.
Bailey Reed and Mitch Hartshorn (St Patrick’s)
Reed was a rousing bowler who was never defeated while Hartshorn was a leader, excellent batsman and handy leg spin bowler capable of spinning out top order players.
Ashish Neredumill (St Peters)
Neredumill has been to the forefront of Saints good recent seasons, and his new ball fast bowling will be looked upon to lead the side through the remaining five matches. Speaking of fast bowlers, we also want to give a St Peters paceman from earlier this decade, George Thomas, a mention for his effort deliveries.
Matt Jagga (Iona)
Jagga was an excellent No. 3 who marshalled his team expertly as skipper.
Future’s watch
Jarrod Turner (Iona)
The Year 10 leg spinner started with 4-47 on debut in round 1 and upped the ante to snare 4-28 in Villa’s surging victory last Saturday.
Liam Johns (Iona)
By the time this decade finishes, don’t be surprised if we look back and include Liam Johns as a top 12 batsman. Over the weekend he stunned Eddies with a brutal 76 not out from just 30 balls, with an innings featuring 11 sixes.
Will Webster (Padua)
Webster has already done enough this season with bat and ball to get a mention on this list. He has had several starts with the bat and will look to push on to 50 plus in the weeks ahead, while continue his excellent bowling efforts.
Henrik Frederiksen (St Patrick’s)
Frederiksen has started the season with eight wickets in two matches against Marist and St Patrick’s, including a match winning haul of 10-3-22-5 last Saturday. Watch this space.
Sam Morris (St Edmund’s)
Sam Morris already has one 4-32 to his name this season, and we look forward to seeing the young quick progress this season.
Lachklan McClure (Iona)
The 2024 Iona’s College captain, McClure’s chapter is not yet complete and we look forward to seeing his contribution in the remaining five matches this season. He is a top six batsman and opening bowler who is also born to lead.
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