Under-16 Country Cricket Championships: Top players, stars, team of the tournament

There are devastating batters and destructive bowlers. After an exciting week of cricket, find out who made the under-16 Country Championships team of the tournament.

Riverina’s Khyla Gardiner made the team of the tournament. Picture: Martin Ollman

Some of the state’s best up-and-coming cricketers descended on Queanbeyan over the past week for the under-16 female Country Championships.

After a rain-shortened four rounds of exciting cricket, Central Coast were crowned champions after an undefeated campaign that saw the zone back up its win in the under-19s women’s championships earlier in the summer.

Following a great week of action, we’ve put together a team of the tournament that features the biggest hitters, craftiest bowlers and most talented all-rounders.

Check out who made our side.

Sophie Parsons (Central North)

134 runs at 67

Sophie Parsons was a clear standout in the tournament. Picture: Martin Ollman

The absolute standout performer of the tournament, Parsons was simply brilliant with the bat as Central North went into the final game with a chance of taking out the title before finishing third.

Scoring nearly double the runs of the next best batter with 134, Parsons remarkably top scored for her team in every single game, highlighted by a brilliant 47 not out to get her side over the line in a high-scoring, rain-affected round one match against Newcastle.

Georgie Leonard (Central North)

69 runs at 17.25 and eight wickets at 8.4

Georgie Leonard was amazing with both the bat and ball for Central North. Picture: Martin Ollman

With her Central North captain Parsons leading the way, Leonard was absolutely brilliant in her own right with both the bat and ball.

Opening the bat, Leonard finished with the second-most runs at 69 and remarkably topped the wicket-taking count with eight, with her off-spinners proving particularly dangerous against Riverina, when she took 4-10 from four overs to help get her side over the line in a tight match.

Ava Drury (Central Coast)

67 runs at 16.75 and five wickets at 5.8 

Ava Drury put in some player-of-the-match performances to lead her side to victory. Picture: Martin Ollman

It has been a golden summer for the Central Coast captain, who starred for the under-19s in the Country Championship victory earlier in the summer before leading her under-16s side to glory.

After a slow start to the carnival, Drury really showed just how good of a leader she was with two player-of-the-match performances on the final day.

Scoring 24 and 26, respectively, on the final day, she also took two wickets with her left-arm orthodox tweakers in both matches to guide her side home and to the title.

Sophia Galland (Southern Districts)

60 runs at 20 and six wickets at 9.5

Sophia Galland was a shining light for Southern Districts. Picture: Martin Ollman

In a tough tournament for Southern Districts, there was one shining light among a string of disappointing results, and that was Sophia Galland.

Consistently the standout for her side, the young gun, who is still just 13, picked up an impressive 60 runs with the bat and six wickets with the ball, her best showing being a 3-15 against Central Coast.

While her team struggled for runs, Galland proved to be a thorn in the side of opponents with the bat, top scoring in the final round with a 28 against North Coastal.

Monique Krake (Central North)

51 runs at 25.5 and five wickets at 15.8

Monique Krake in action for Central North. Picture: Martin Ollman

Rounding out Central North’s fantastic trio is all-rounder Monique Krake.

Super consistent with the ball, she picked up wickets in every game, while she also scored crucial middle-order runs, most notably scoring 28 not out from 31 balls to help get the side home against Newcastle.

Bonnie Crimson (North Coastal)

52 runs at 17.33 and two catches

Bonnie Crimson was among North Coastal’s best. Picture: Martin Ollman

North Coastal vice-captain Crimson was a clear standout for her side in the batting department, helping to see off the new ball as an opener. And while she performed well at the top of the order, her best score of 24 ultimately came from number nine in the final round match against Southern Districts.

Also a wicketkeeper, Crimson highlighted her broad skill set with two catches from behind the stumps.

Ella Yates (Greater Illawarra)

Six wickets at 8.66 and 46 runs at 23

Ella Yates (middle) was excellent for Greater Illawarra. Picture: Port Kembla CC Facebook

While there were a number of young Greater Illawarra stars who did well with bat and ball, vice-captain Yates was the pick of the bunch.

Absolute dynamite with the ball, Yates troubled opposition batters with her medium pacers, picking up wickets in every game to finish with six.

She was also handy with the bat, notably scoring 26 against Central North as she combined well with captain Nicola Hudson for an ultimately decisive partnership.

Layla Graham (Central Coast)

Five wickets 8 and 42 runs at 21

Layla Graham led the Central Coast attack. Picture: Martin Ollman

The spearhead of the Central Coast attack, the fast bowler was excellent for the Central Coast as the team put on a bowling masterclass over the week to take out the title.

Setting the tone by ripping through the North Coastal top order in the team’s first game, Graham similarly did the damage to Newcastle in the Central Coast’s last match, before taking the final wicket to seal the championship.

But not just a bowler, Graham also scored crucial middle order runs with the bat.

Khyla Gardiner (Riverina)

Eight wickets at 3.37

Khyla Gardiner was Riverina’s in the tournament. Picture: Martin Ollman

While they might have picked up just one win during the tournament, Riverina can walk away from the tournament thrilled with the achievements of young bowler Gardiner, who picked up a competition-high eight wickets for her side.

Showing plenty of consistency to claim scalps in every game, she racked up two three-wicket hauls in destructive performances against Southern Districts and Central Northern.

Touted as one to watch with the bat prior to the tournament, Gardiner’s bowling proved to be a key weapon for her side.

Edyn McDonald (North Coastal)

Seven wickets at 4.7

The right-arm quick was absolutely lethal throughout the carnival, taking seven wickets at a ridiculous average of 4.7 to sit third in the wicket-taking list.

Often coming on as a first-change bowler, McDonald took wickets in every game, highlighted by a brilliant 3-10 against Western in round three.

Scarlett Sheridan (Central Coast)

Six wickets at 7

Scarlett Sheridan was deadly for Central Coast. Picture: Martin Ollman

The third inclusion from the champions, Sheridan was a key figure in the excellent Central Coast attack, picking up the most wickets for the team over the course of the tournament with six.

A very consistent medium-pacer who regularly hits a good line and length, her best showing came in the opening fixture against North Coastal, picking up three wickets for 14 and also taking a catch in the field.

12th player Madison Kedwell (Newcastle)

54 runs at 27 and two wickets at 16

The strongest performer in the Newcastle side, the co-captain batted well in all three of her digs, and top scored with 21 in the final round loss to the Central Coast.

A very good bowler as well, Kedwell showed just what she can do by removing both Greater Illawarra openers early in the team’s narrow round two defeat.