GPS First XI cricket Team of the Season revealed here
Howzat for a GPS First XI cricket Team of the Season? The squad includes a nice blend of players from the Coast to Toowoomba, Ipswich to Nudgee. FULL TEAM
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Emerging rookies Ishaan Sandhu (TSS), Sohaan Sharma (IGS) and Jaxson Davies (TSS) headline our powerhouse GPS First XI cricket Team of the Season.
Following The Southport School’s 10th premiership in 14 seasons, we announce the annual Team of the Season which was sure to include future state cricketers.
GPS FIRST XI TEAM OF THE DECADE – SO FAR
CLUB CRICKET GRAND FINALS – HOW THEY ALL UNFOLDED
The battle for the keeper role highlights the strength of the side. Matt Fielding (Nudgee) batted his way into the side after scoring 99 following a consistent season opening.
Riley Johnson (TSS), the premiership winning captain, was strongly considered in a hotly contested field which included quality keepers like Jayden Draper (Churchie) and Oscar Bodimeade (Terrace).
Speaking of Terrace talent, the St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace community has plenty of it which is reflected in the college winning 12 of 25 GPS premierships contested this season.
The college won the 5C, 5B, 6A, 6B, 7B, 7C, 7D, 8B, 9B, 9C, 10B and 11B premierships.
“We work particularly hard on our program, in both the performance and participation teams to try and provide a quality cricket experience,’’ said Terrace Sports Activities Coordinator Blair Copelin.
He praised the coaches at the college and the scorers, and said the community should be proud of the experience provided to more than 500 cricketers at Terrace.
“We love the fact that so many boys are able to experience playing the game,’’ he said
GPS FIRST XI TEAM OF THE SEASON
1. Ishaan Sandhu (TSS)
A Mudgeeraba junior prodigy is diminutive in build, but bats about his weight. The right handed opener started the season with a blistering 82 and 32 not out, and after two scores below eight, hit the heights again to finish the season strongly. His 333 runs came at an average of 47.
2. Sohaan Sharma (IGS)
With scores of 103 and 91, Sharma was an automatic inclusion in our team of the season. Alongside Jaxson Davies of TSS, the Ipswich Grammar School opener was the rookie of the season. He could bat time, milking the strike for his partner, but was at his best taking on the game. His century came from just 88 balls.
Sharma is a part of the Queensland under 16s pathways program.
3. Jacob Bath (TSS)
With runs and wickets, the off-spinning allrounder was the backbone of TSS in more ways than one. TSS did not rely on him, but knowing he was batting No. 3 or opening the bowling would have been a comfort to the TSS coaching staff when they placed their heads on their pillows each Friday night.
He was one of the very best in the competition and was consistently mentioned in our weekly stories.
RELATED LINKS
UNSUNG HEROES, QUIET ACHIEVERS OF GPS FIRST XI CRICKET
4. Jaxson Davies (TSS)
Davies was a boy wonder of the competition who announced himself in the first match of the season against Nudgee with a century on debut (101, 63 balls). He was no one hit wonder either, regularly scoring runs at better than a run a ball.
To think we have another two seasons of watching him in the GPS system. Happy days.
5. Blake Armstrong (BBC)
Although he missed the big score he would have been searching for, Armstrong was consistent with his 30-plus performances while taking wickets and keeping runs down bowling his left arm orthodox spin. He is a high achiever, having made our 2023 Team of the Season and also our 23-24 Tavener’s Team of the Season.
6. Matthew Fielding (Nudgee)
Fielding did enough to make the top 12, that’s for sure, scoring the most runs (377) of any player this season. He was both a gloveman and an aggressive opening batsman who tried his best to rally Nudgee. He would score quickly and his final innings score of 99 was what edged him into our side.
His return this season was outstanding against the new ball spinners and pace bowlers.
7. Jacob Cibulka (IGS)
If you were looking for reasons why Ipswich Grammar School have had such a good First XI season, one of the answers is Cibulka. He scored just over 200 runs and took 12 wickets in what was a top shelf performance.
8. Gurnoor Singh Randhawa (TGS)
Gurnoor Singh Randhawa was magnificent for TGS all season. He was often his team’s best batsman – he scored just over 260 runs – and was always among the wickets.
He thoroughly deserved his place.
9. Dushyant Thaman (TSS)
We thought he was good last season when he had a splendid debut season as a Year 10 student, but he raised the bar even further in 2024 with more wickets and handy lower order batting efforts – some of which were scored under pressure.
Thaman again had an extraordinary economy rate.
10. Will Pamenter (IGS)
A genuine fast bowler from the Wests junior system, Pamenter always struck with the new ball and put his side onto the front foot. He claimed 15 wickets across the season, and only went for 2.8 runs an over which is low for an attacking fast bowler.
11. Henry Hillier (Churchie)
He was one of the competition’s No. 1 players and one of the first chosen in the Team of the Season. Hillier, a South Brisbane junior, was remarkable with his control when taking the new ball. The left arm orthodox spinner never failed to deliver and he was a big reason for Churchie’s splendid season.
A constant in our Team of the Week stories.
12. Luke Harper (IGS)
The off spinner was a wicket taking marvel who kept delivering the goods for a resurgent Ipswich Grammar School side. He was challenged by aggressive batsmen at times, but always stayed the course and finished on top.
13th man: Riley Johnson (TSS)
The premiership winning captain was TSS’ gloveman and middle order batting ace. His season included scores of 90, 70 and 51 – often at a cracking pace, and could hold his place in the top order as a specialist batsman. He was also the brains trust who steered his field and rang the bowling changes. He was a winner.
14th man: Angus Storen (Churchie)
Storen was simply so good for Churchie this season. An opening batsman who has scored 222 runs at 32, Storen also has 12 wickets at an average of 17. To be honest, he did enough to make the side – but we had to find room for two other allrounders – Gurnoor Singh Randhawa (TGS) and Jacob Cibulka (IGS). But we wanted to put his name up in lights here. It was the least we could do after his fine season.
On the cusp players
Connor Rudman (Churchie)
Rudman seemingly performed better under pressure, the opening bat often getting Churchie out of sticky situations with determined efforts against the new ball.
He averaged just shy of 30 and was in the middle more than most players across the whole competition this season.
Findlay Jones (Nudgee)
Opening batter Jones was his captain’s right hand man who contributed plenty of runs against the best bowlers each team had to offer.
There was fierce competition to make the Team of the Season and Jones was not far off with his 224 runs at an average of 32 across the season.
He scored two fifties and took the shine off the new ball by staying in there.
Spencer Green (Nudgee)
Nudgee’s prime over with the ball, the superb Spencer Green took 15 wickets across the season and bowled more than anyone - except for Harper (IGS).
He bowled 10 overs almost every game and remained a threat in every one of them.
The leg spinner’s best figures were 3-4 in a big win over Brisbane Grammar in round four.