LCCA CRICKET: Mid-season report – who’s in the Best XI

Lawrence has hit the ground running in 2020/21, but a number of teams are hot on their heels. Here are the top performers at the halfway point of 2020/21.

Check out who made the cut for Lowqr Clarence Cricket Association's Best XI across each grade at the halfway stage of the 2020/21 season.

As cricketers prepare to return to the middle this weekend after the midseason break and last weekend's washout, we took a look at who has hit the ground running during the first half of the season.

These are the individual standouts teams to watch out for at the halfway point of Lower Clarence Cricket Association's 2020/21 season (scroll down to view the 2nd Grade Best XI and 3rd Grade Best XI).

1ST GRADE

Lawrence has set the pace with an undefeated start to its 2020/21 campaign, but a number of sides have shown they have the firepower to challenge the frontrunners on their day.

Experienced former Premier League trio Nathan Ensbey (215 runs at 71.67), Ben Hill (114 runs at 38.00) and Doug Harris (117 runs at 58.50) have set the tone with the bat in their debut seasons for the club, while Harris' spin (14 wkts at 8.64) has complemented Lawrence's original pace quartet of Brodie Davis (10 wkts at 8.80), Jarrod Ensbey (9 wkts at 13.22), Simon Harrison (8 wkts at 8.38) and Nathan Anderson (8 wkts at 13.88).

Brodie Davis has led the charge for Lawrence so far in 2020/21 with 10 wickets including a hattrick.

 

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CRCA CRICKET: Mid-season report - who's in the Best XI?

Yamba has mounted a resurgence as a competitive force in 1st Grade this season off the back of top order trio Ian Holder (240 runs at 40.00), Laurie Urquhart (223 runs at 31.86) and Troy Urquhart (187 runs at 46.75), who between them have scored 650 of the side's 981 runs this season. Meanwhile Holder (13 wkts at 9.54) and Troy Urquhart (10 wkts at 11.10) have also dominated with the ball, along with spinner Matt Breakwell (9 wkts at 6.89), and wicket keeper James Forbes has produced good returns behind the stumps.

Only Harwood (1110) have scored more runs than Yamba this season, led by opener Evan Lewis (176 runs at 29.33) and Ashley Moss (172 runs at 28.67), while all-rounder Dean Carroll has enjoyed an exceptional start to the season, scoring 120 quickfire runs at 60.00 and the competition's leading wicket taker with 17 at 6.06.

Harwood all-rounder Dean Carroll has been one of the standouts of the Lower Clarence Cricket Association First Grade competition at the halfway point of the 2020/21 season.

 

Two-time defending premiers Maclean United and the three-time runners up Iluka are under plenty of pressure to repeat their recent season efforts, currently in fourth and fifth spots respectively.

Dan McColl (160 runs at 40.00) has been the standout with the bat and Adam Izzard (13 wkts at 5.69) with the ball for United, while Jon McEwen (104 runs at 20.80) is the only Iluka batsmen to reach triple figures for the season thus far, and Jason Allen (8 wkts at 15.63) is their leading bowler.

Meanwhile it's been a tough initiation for First Grade newcomers Woodford Island Warriors, who reached a triple figure team total for the first time this season in the last round before Christmas.

After three consecutive washouts, a favourable forecast should mean teams take to the field this weekend for the first time since December 5.

Lawrence and Yamba will feature in the match of the round at Barry Watts Oval in Maclean, Harwood host Iluka and Maclean United take on Woodford Island at Yamba Oval.

 

Ladder: 66 Lawrence, 54 Harwood, 48 Yamba, 45 Maclean Utd, 33 Iluka, 24 Woodford Island.

 

BEST XI

1. Laurie Urquhart (Yamba) - Bat: 223 runs at 31.86, HS 84.

2. Evan Lewis (Harwood) - Bat: 176 runs at 29.33, HS 77.

Harwood’s Evan Lewis has scored 176 runs including 32 boundaries so far this season.

 

3. Nathan Ensbey (c) (Lawrence) - Bat: 215 runs at 71.67, HS 65*.

4. Dan McColl (Maclean Utd) - Bat: 160 runs at 40, HS 70.

5. Troy Urquhart (Yamba) - 187 runs at 46.75, HS 64. Bowl: 10 wkts at 11.10, BB 3/29, ER 2.85.

6. Ian Holder (Yamba) - Bat: 240 runs at 40, HS 101. Bowl: 13 wkts at 9.54, BB 5/20, ER 4.00

7. Doug Harris (Lawrence) - Bat: 117 runs at 58.50, HS 66*. Bowl: 14 wkts at 8.64, BB 4/25, ER 2.92

Former Harwood Premier League all-rounder Doug Harris has made a successful transition to Lawrence in the LCCA First Grade competition with bat and ball this season.

 

8. Dean Carroll (Harwood) - Bat: 120 runs at 60, HS 36*. Bowl: 17 wkts at 6.06, BBB 5/23, ER 2.86.

9. Adam Izzard (Maclean Utd) - Bat: 68 runs at 34, HS 25. Bowl: 13 wkts at 5.69, BB 6/17, ER 2.31.

10. Matt Breakwell (Yamba) - Bat: 46 runs at 23, HS 38*. Bowl: 9 wkts at 6.89, BB 4/11, ER 2.14.

11. Brodie Davis (Lawrence) - Bowl: 10 wkts at 8.80, BB 6/22, ER 2.93.

 

 

LCCA 2ND GRADE BEST XI

 

Ladder: 62 Maclean United, 56 Harwood, 53 Iluka, 38 Lawrence.

 

Iluka's Luke McLachlan steers one towards the boundary during an LCCA second grade cricket match.

 

 

1. Luke McLachlan (Iluka) 206 runs at 51.50, HS 98*

2. Damian Senz (Lawrence) 159 runs at 39.75, HS 112*

3. Steven Hogan (Harwood) 191 runs at 38.20, HS 55

4. Brad Shannon (Maclean Utd): 289 runs at 72.25, HS 91

5. Glenn Armer (Maclean Utd) - 116 runs at 29.00, HS 58; 11 wkts at 12.27, BB 4/37, ER 4.66

6. Beau-Dean Oestmann (wk) (Iluka) 279 runs at 69.75, HS 81*; 3wk

7. Matthew Passlow (Iluka) 142 runs at 23.67; 12 wkts at 11.83, BB 5/42, ER 4/39

8. Michael Essex (Maclean Utd) 8 wkts at 8.25, BB 4/9, ER 3.67

9. Shane McLeay Jnr (Maclean Utd) 13 wkts at 6.31, BB 6/17, BB 2.46

10. Zachary Quick (Harwood) 9 wkts at 9.00, BB 6/10, ER 2.70

11. Connor Murray (Lawrence) 9 wkts at 9.89, BB 5/16, ER 2.75

 

LCCA 3RD GRADE BEST XI

 

Ladder: 62 Iluka, 56 Yamba Gold, 53 Lawrence, 50 Maclean Utd Gold, 50 Harwood, 44 Maclean Utd Green, 44 Yamba Black, 32 Woodford Island Warriors.

 

1. Martin Oates (Maclean Utd) 98 runs at 49, HS 69*; 8 wkts at 7.38, BB 3/9, ER 2.95

2. Garry Ryan (Iluka) 74 runs at 37, HS 49*; 3 wkts at 7.00, BB 3/12, ER 2.63

3. Scott Studdert (Yamba) 83 runs at 83, HS 31*

4 Dan Kelly (Harwood) 145 runs at 36.25, HS 56; 7 wkts at 12.29, BB 3/12, ER 4.10

5. Nathan Moloney (Lawrence) 261 runs at 130.50, HS 79*

6. John Priddle (Lawrence) 183 runs at 36.60, HS 50*; 8 wkts at 9.75, BB 3/11, ER 3.55

7. Jackson Moss (wk) (Harwood) 7 wk, 2 st; 166 runs at 27.67, HS 57

8. John Neill (Yamba) 82 runs at 27.33, HS 46; 9 wkts at 5.78, BB 6/6, ER 2.67

John Neill bowling for Yamba in the 2019/20 Lower Clarence Cricket Association Maclean Bowling Club 3rd Grade preliminary final against Lawrence at Brushgrove Oval.

9. Andrew Hayward (Iluka) 59 runs at 59, HS 42*; 7 wkts at 6.43, BB 3/0, ER 2.60

10. Todd Bennett (Lawrence) 10 wkts at 12.30, BB 3/10, ER 3.42

11. Hendrik Fourie (Maclean Utd) 8 wkts at 8.00, BB 3/24, ER 3.36

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