AIC First XI cricket Team of the Week from round six
Two AIC First XI cricket captains and two players from a losing Padua side were ushered into the latest Team of the Week as three teams prepare to play for the premiership on Saturday.
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Three teams will be jockeying for the premiership when the final round of AIC First XI cricket is played on Saturday.
If Iona, Ashgrove and Villanova all win their respective matches, they will share the title.
But if any of those sides lose, they will forfeit their chance to win the premiership.
Round 7 fixtures
St Patricks v Villanova.
Iona v St Edmund’s
Marist v Padua
St Peters v St Laurence’s
Ahead of Saturday’s game, we name the round six Team of the Week which features respective captains Joey Laner (Marist), Lars Sagorski (St Peters) and a special mention for Villa skip Finn Thallon.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
1. Benjamin de Waard (Padua)
de Waard stood tall for his side, copping flack fired from St Patrick’s fast bowler Theo Tsingos to see off the Queensland quick and push on to make a game high 58. The right handed keeper survived 107 balls, and put his side in a winning position only for it all to unravel against the pace of Tsingos and Alex Bullock.
2. Kaelan Reynolds (St Laurence’s)
Reynolds produced the best top order batting performance by a Laurie’s player this season with a splendid 70 (116 balls) against premiers Iona College. It was no picnic as Finn Haller moved the ball in the air and James Turner off the pitch, but as wickets tumbled around the Year 11 student maintained his composure. He punished the loose ball, striking nine fours and a six.
3. Jack Watson (Ashgrove)
Ashgrove’s premier batsmen this season, he came in under pressure when Ashgrove lost three early wickets, but together with Joey Laner, Watson was able to calmly, cautiously bat his side out of trouble. His hard earned 50 came from 40 came from 93 balls. He also bowled three tight overs.
4. Toby Collins (Iona)
Iona were getting a bit of a hurry up from St Laurence’s fast bowling enforcer Tom Vaseo (3-26) who had the premiers on the backfoot. Enter Collins. His best form of defence was attack as his delivered a withering counter punch that netted 73 runs from 73 balls. The momentum shifting innings perfectly completed the recovery efforts of Alexander Harrison (31), Jackson Williams (25) and Flynn Donnelly (28). Later Collins claimed two catches from leg spinner James Turner.
5. Joey Laner (Ashgrove)
Laner is a new ball bowling ace whose accurate spells built pressure from the start, while almost always penetrating deep into the batting order.
He did that again on Saturday on his way to dismissing dangerous Villanova opener Max Knight, but he made the Team of the Week for his match winning 26 not out. Chasing just 99 to win, Ashgrove got the wobbles but Laner patiently batted 50 balls to see his side home.
6. Theo Tsingos (St Patrick’s)
Tsingos has made up for lost time. After scoring 80 not out from 52 balls three weeks ago, the Queensland U17 fast bowler zeroed in on the Padua batsmen to take a defining 3-25 from 10 overs in a tight match. He dismissed one of Padua’s best batsmen Alister Bauer early on, then put the wind up the lower order to bowl Iona out. He also scored a crucial 25 from 54 balls.
7. Carter McSweeney (St Patrick’s)
McSweeney has been circling Team of the Week selection all season, and finally he gains recognition here. A handy batsman, McSweeney’s 3-32 in a winning effort tilted him into the side after he had scored 13 during the morning session. Padua were on top chasing 168, but McSweeney changed the momentum of the match by dismissing Benjamin de Waard (58) and Adam Noon (11) to send the visitors from 3-126 to 5-135. The team’s fast bowlers then did the rest.
8. Lars Sagorski (St Peters)
The Saints’ captain had a big day against St Edmund’s, whipping out a rival when he generated run-out then got into his bowling groove to snare 3-10 from five overs. His spell included the dismissal of the capable Charles Cass.
9. Thomas Vaseo (St Laurence’s)
The bustling genuine quick bowler unsettled Iona early with pace and pressure. He knocked over No. 2 and No. 3 in the batting order in a hurry, then returned later to clip the wings of the dangerous Flynn Donnelly.
His 10 overs yielded 2-26 and his reputation alongside Theo Tsingos (St Patrick’s) as the competition’s most feared bowler remains intact.
10. Archer Tallon (Ashgrove)
Archer Tallon’s remarkable season peaked against Villanova when the young leg spin bowler had Villanova pinned to the canvas. He bowled one of the spells of the season, delivering 10-5-10-3 which ensured there was no escape clause for Villanova. Tallon has been outstanding all season.
11. Sameer Prasad (Padua)
Seam bowler Prasad bowled his way into the team with an outstanding performance against St Patrick’s. He dismissed bowled openers, then dismissed middle order men Thomas Hewitt and Samuel Megaw (21). It was an elite performance and his 4-32 probably should have been enough to win the game for his side.
12. Joshua Pope (Ashgrove)
A discovery player of the season, leg spin bowler Pope had his best day at the bowling crease in his brief First XI career. Along with his spin twin, Tallon, Pope built pressure and bowled wicket taking deliveries. His dismissal of Villanova’s prime player Finn Thallon was a huge moment in the match, as was the dismissal of Alex Borger who was set on 21. Pope took 3-18 from eight overs.
13th man. James Turner (Iona)
The leg spinner was desperately unlucky to miss the top 12, but ultimately Carter McSweeney’s three top order wickets in a one run result narrowly elevated him into the top squad.
Turner swept into behind the Iona strike force which was spearheaded by Finn Haller and Luke Biddle, immediately dismissing Oscar Santos who was playing himself in. After that Turner lured three more batsmen into their downfall, two of whom were trapped LBW.
Special mentions
Will Mortimer (St Patrick’s)
Spin bowler Moritmer almost made it into the top 12 on the strength of his crucial 34 which was the difference in a match won by Paddies’ by just one run. With his side on the slide, Mortimer threaded together valuable runs alongside of Alex Bullock (10) and Adam Hogan (11 not) which ultimately won the game for their side.
Other special mentions were Alexander Bullock (St Patrick’s), Finn Haller (Iona), Jack Mercer (Padua) and Finn Thallon (Villanova)
Originally published as AIC First XI cricket Team of the Week from round six
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