GPS First XI cricket Team of the Season named after The Southport School claimed the premiership
The GPS First XI cricket Team of the Season can be revealed after The Southport School’s extraordinary premiership dynasty continued. See which teen cricketers starred from every school here.
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The Southport School’s extraordinary 15-season era in GPS First XI cricket continued after the class of 2025 secured yet another premiership for the college.
TSS earned the title after a round nine washout which ensured the retention of the championship despite a brave bid from second placed St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace.
TAVERNERS CRICKET TEAM OF THE SEASON
TSS has now won 11 premierships in the last 15 seasons, an extraordinary sporting dynasty in such an elite competition which produces a majority of the state’s Sheffield Shield cricketers.
This team’s title is a credit to the captain, Queensland under-17 representative Dushyant Thaman, and coaches Ross Wallace, Robbie Benadie, Greg Norman, Damien Mednis and Joel Threlfall.
Wallace, who has the magic stardust when it comes to winning First XI premierships, has now been at the helm for each of the 11 wins.
This was after winning two premierships as a player in 1970 and 1971.
TSS director of cricket Steve Baker said it was a tough competition to win, with a loss to Terrace, and matches against BBC and Nudgee akin to grand finals. “They were that close,’’ he said.
Baker applauded the team’s team work, the group’s focus on effort and fielding. “There is a lot of work done in fielding,’’ he said.
He said having several players connected to Queensland Cricket pathway programs also helped develop the side.
Following the premiership, three TSS players were named in the 2025 News Corp Team of the season.
They were batting ace Jaxson Davies, tricky off spin bowler Riley Eckersley (TSS) and captain Thaman, an elite all-rounder.
But who else made the side?
GPS CRICKET TEAM OF THE SEASON
1. Theodore Bacalakis (St Joseph’s College Gregory Terrace)
Bacalakis batted at No.3 for Terrace but the under-17 Queensland opener was named in this position to enable the season’s very best players to make the Team of the Season.
In a competition dominated by bowlers, Bacalakis’ 242 runs at 48.4 was a high-class performance.
The Terrace spearhead also claimed four wickets with his leg spin and fielded superbly.
2. Ryan Hines (Ipswich Grammar)
Aside from Hines’ withering century against Brisbane State High, Zac Robinson’s 97 and 54 for BBC and Sohaan Sharma’s 83 for IGS, it was a season where opening batsmen struggled to get a foothold.
But Hines did a good job.
His century from 100 balls was a high water mark, but around that he made 17, 15 and 31 in collapses, then made 18 and 20.
3. Jaxson Davies (The Southport School)
Along with Bacalakis, Davies was the premier batsmen in the competition.
His 283 runs at 56.60 needs to be put into perspective because this was a season when conditions tended to favour the bowlers.
A Queensland under-17 ace, he was the x-factor player his side needed to confirm their place at the top of the table.
4. Eli Brain (Brisbane Grammar)
Along with Davies and Bacalakis, Brain was a blistering member of the competition’s big three.
He played in a struggling side, but always rose to the highest of standards. His 228 runs at 38 made him one of the most celebrated wickets, while he conceded just 2.48 runs per over on his way to taking seven scalps at 20.57.
5. D’Arcy Satharasinghe (Brisbane Boys’ College)
The First XI football ace finished the competition as the best all-rounder in GPS and, along with Davies, Brain and Bacalakis, Satharasinghe he was among the first four chosen in the side.
It was not only that he scored 276 runs at 46, but it was the manner in which he scored them. Those runs came at a strike rate of around 117, meaning he was always throwing heat back on the bowlers - even if they were on top.
His spinners were also a revelation, with 14 wickets at 13.71 reward for effort.
6. Tighe Morris (Churchie)
Morris only played four matches which made him a 50-50 selection, but his impact in those games was profound.
He scored 183 runs and claimed eight wickets at 17.38, with an economy rate of 3.66. He was one of the class players in the tournament.
7. Charles Hinze (Brisbane State High)
One of the pleasures of the GPS competition is that it gives bolters a chance to bob up and shine. BBC’s elite soccer player Satharasinghe is one such player, and Hinze is another. He was so consistent all season, with 13 wickets coming at 12.38 and also at an economy rate of just 2.91. But he also scored 143 at 23.83, consistently chipping in for his side whose batting was not a strength.
8. Ryan Atley (Brisbane Boys’ College)
The most contentious position in the side was the keeping role. Although he would have wanted more, the Queensland under-17 gloveman did make important scores of 35 in a low scoring run chase, 54 and 38 for an aggregate of 143 runs at 20.42. That, coupled with his keeping to the spinners, was enough to squeeze him into the side.
9. Dushyant Thaman (The Southport School)
Mr Consistency, Thaman’s three season journey in the First XI has finished with yet another title.
A Queensland under-17 left arm orthodox spinner, Thaman makes the team for his leadership of the premiers and the pressure he built he built in a side which prided itself on making the opposition uncomfortable from start to finish.
10. George Hales (Terrace)
The Terrace First XV halfback with a super pass was also a right arm swing bowler of considerable ability.
His first round six wicket haul to beat Ipswich Grammar School in a thriller was a high point , but he was always among the wickets. He claimed 16 wickets at 12.06 and struck every 19.06 balls.
11. Riley Eckersley (The Southport School)
Right arm off spin bowler Eckersley was pivotal to a bowling and fielding effort which strangled sides. He bowled beautifully in partnership, and his own haul of 13 wickets at 13.85 said plenty about his potency. For a slow bowler, he had a low strike rate of 21.92.
12th man. Zac Robinson (Brisbane Boys’ College)
Opener Robinson came to the party for BBC in his second summer in the First XI, with scores of 33, 54 and 97 among his first five innings of the season. In a summer which twice saw washouts, he scored 204 runs at 29.14.
13th man: Joshua Cranston (Toowoomba Grammar)
While the likes of representative players Blake Armstrong (BBC), Zac Robinson (BBC) and Sohaan Sharma (IGS) were all superior players to him, Cranston lost little in comparison. Consistent all the way, he amassed 181 runs at 30.17 and was a glue opener who put a high price on his wicket.
MOST CONSIDERED OMISSION
Kethmin Meegasdeniya (BSHS)
He took 10 wickets at just 9.5 runs, but his partnership bowling was equally as impressive (economy rate 2.38). Meegasdeniya formed a potent bowling attack at BSHS which included Sree Shauri Parthiv Bachu (11 wickets at 15.64) and Jordan Hook (13 at 17.92).
Jordan Hook (Brisbane State High)
The left arm quick was a shock bowler for his side who had a habit of taking wickets. His 13 victims came at 17.92, with a strike rate of just 26.77.
Hayden Hamilton (Nudgee College)
A Queensland under-17 representative, Hamilton was the next batsman off the rank. A revelation in the Taverners club season prior to the start of the GPS season, Hamilton scored 186 at 31.
Blake Armstrong (Brisbane Boys’ College)
It was difficult to leave Armstrong out of this team after he made successive Teams of the Season in 2023 and 2024. A century maker earlier this year for the Queensland under-17s, he bravely tried to take on the bowlers, including making 65 from 67 balls against the champion TSS attack. His seven wickets at 27.43 helped his team’s cause.
BEST SUPPORT BOWLER
Ashton Clark (Brisbane Boys’ College) was a wonderful player this season, with his contribution far more valuable than merely his 10 wickets at 16.90. The young leg spinner kept things tight, building pressure by conceding just 2.49 runs per over.
THE BOLTERS WHO WAS CONSIDERED
Colby Rudd (Ipswich Grammar School)
This very fine cricketer was a steady contributor across the summer. Coming off a respected Taverner’s club cricket campaign, the top order batsman found 159 runs at 26.50, but importantly contributed eight wickets at an average of 14.75.
His gallant 37 (77 balls) to top scoring in a collapsing innings against BBC emphasised his fight.
ROOKIE OF THE SEASON
Jackson McDonald (Gregory Terrace)
One of the babies of the competition, McDonald batted high and bowled first change. He gave a good account of himself at the bowling crease and would have gathered invaluable experience in the big league as a batsman.
MR TEMPERAMENT
Charlie Henderson (Nudgee College)
Henderson’s splendid 58 not out to get his side home in a tense clash against Churchie was a highlight. He batted for 94 balls, seeing off a late batting collapse to get his side home.
THE WATCH THIS SPACE ROOKIE
Abhay Dhaliwal (Nudgee)
An under age player, Dhaliwal(Year 9) finished the season with his reputation enhanced.
The young opener will enter next year wiser for a summer which yielded 164 runs at 27.33.
Lenny Henry (Terrace)
Henry is a wildcard talent with bat and ball. Another under age player, the South Brisbane all-rounder will look to make a bigger impact next season.
UNSUNG HEROES
Cruz Baker (BGS) was Eli Brain’s best mate at the bowling crease. He conceded a mere 2.34 runs per over, while also collecting eight wickets at 15.
Gurutva Singh (Ipswich Grammar)
A mere rookie, Singh was another tremendous team bowler who kept things tight - his economy rate was just 2.43) while also chipping away with seven wickets at 16.57.
SPECIAL MENTIONS
Hugh Burke (Terrace)
Daniel Desmet (Churchie)
Harry Jackson (Terrace)
Cameron Sinfield (TSS)
Sean Hanson (Churchie)
Harry Klatt (Terrace)
Alex Walduck (Churchie)
Harry Klatt (Terrace)
Thomas Bayo (Nudgee)
Christian Alexander (Brisbane Boys’ College)
Malachi Foster (IGS)
Darcy Muckert (TGS)
Charles Henderson (Nudgee)
Christian Alexander (BBC)
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