GPS First XI cricket’s unsung players of the decade - including this season
Who have been GPS First XI cricket’s unsung players this season - and across this decade? Here’s 60 unsung players who have blazed into the spotlight between 2020-25.
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In celebration of the GPS First XI season entering the home straight, the competition’s unsung heroes of 2025 have been acknowledged.
The story includes 15 unsung players from this season, while also taking a trip down memory lane by recalling the unheralded deeds of another 45 players between 2020 and 2024.
Remember Tom Gossett (TSS), Sam Bell (BBC), Toby Snell (Terrace), Robbie Sanders (BGS) or Harry Bloomfield (IGS)?
They are all featured below, along with many others.
RD5 GPS FIRST XI TEAM OF THE WEEK
So enjoy both the past, and the present, in a story which casts an eye on players who might normally escape the attention.
UNSUNG PLAYERS THIS SEASON
CHARLIE HINZE (BSHS)
A left arm orthodox spinner, Hinze has been a revelation in his first season of GPS First XI.
He has snared 10 wickets at an average of 10, pinning the batsmen to just 2.71 runs per over - one of the top five economy rate bowlers in the competition. Hinze has also been a man in a batting crisis, scoring 107 runs at 26.75.
D’ARCY SATHARASINGHE (BBC)
Like Hinze who was mentioned above, D’arcy Satharasinghe is not only an unsung hero, he is also one of the players of the season.
An elite footballer, Satharasinghe’s off-spin bowling snares wickets and builds pressure, while his batting gives his side momentum - no matter the situation. He has 204 runs at 40.8, with a strike rate of 126, and 13 wickets at an average of 10 (economy rate 2.77).
RILEY ECKERSLEY (TSS)
After captaining Redlands’ Tigers in U17 Taverner’s season, the right arm off spin bowler has built pressure and snared wickets, while his composed batting has been a highlight for TSS so far. He has nine wickets at 15 this season, with an economy rate of 3.6 runs.
KETHMIN MEEGASDENIYA (BSHS)
Meegasdeniya has been a wonderful contributor to the BSHS campaign. Scoring runs off his bowling has been like a prospector finding a gold nugget. He has conceded just 2.3 runs every six balls, while also taking a handy seven wickets.
ASHTON CLARK (BBC)
Leg spinner Clark has been a wonderful partnership bowler, featuring the third best economy rate (2.33) in the competition behind Meegasdeniya (BSHS) and BGS’s Eli Brain. It has been an extraordinary performance by a wrist spinner.
Clark has also snared a handy seven wickets at 16, but it is his economy rate which is king. Tall medium pace bowler Oliver Hottet has also bowled tightly for his side, conceding just 2.64 runs per over.
RYAN HINES (IGS)
A Stanthorpe Gremlins junior on the southern Darling Downs, Hines has been a revelation this season, amassing 165 runs at 41.25 at a brisk strike rate of 80.01.
CRUZ BAKER (BGS)
Shadowing Clark’s fabulous pressure building bowling has been Baker whose six wickets at 12.50 has been constructed around his control (economy rate 2.36). The Fraser Coast product has been a tremendous support bowler around his team’s No.1 man, Queensland U17 representative Eli Brain who has an extraordinary economy rate of just 2.2
JOSHUA CRANSTON (TOOWOOMBA GRAMMAR)
Cranston has been a rock for TGS, expertly negotiating the wicket-taking balls to score 135 at a hard earned average of 33.75. He has been patient and effective.
ABHAY DHALIWAL (NUDGEE COLLEGE)
A baby of the competition, Abhay is showing great signs both for this season and for the future. While he has not been a runaway success, his 122 runs have been steadily accumulated at a commendable average of 30.5.
SEAN HANSEN (CHURCHIE)
Hansen has been another B+ performer this season. In a side struggling to put batting partnerships together, Hansen’s 117 runs at a strike rate of 75.97 has been a highlight.
COLBY RUDD (IGS)
As solid as a cyclone-proof house, the cautious Rudd’s 113 runs at 28.25 have given his side a chance to build an innings around him. He was steady with the ball as well, taking five wickets at 19.
GEORGE HALES (TERRACE)
Swing bowler Hales has a competitive high strike rate of 17.5 balls per wicket. He had one six wicket haul, but beyond that Hales has consistently kept pressure on by attacking the batsmen. He has 14 victims at 12 so far this season. Bowling teammate Harry Jackson (nine wickets at 10.56) has also been impressive.
MALACHI FOSTER and OSCAR DIOTH (IPSWICH GRAMMAR)
The boys have combined to take 17 wickets between them this season. Paceman Dioth has eight wickets at 16.63, striking every 27 deliveries, while Foster has nine victims at 13.88, striking every 28.5 balls.
JORDAN HOOK (BRISBANE STATE HIGH)
Hook was a game winning left arm swing bowler in one match, and that performance alone earned him a place in this story.
HARRY KLATT (GREGORY TERRACE)
Klatt has been a quiet achiever, with his seven wickets at 10.86 building pressure. Klatt has an economy rate of 3.17 runs conceded per over.
DANIEL DESMET (Churchie)
Desmet has been a good, solid cricketer, a versatile bowler and handy batsmen who has contributed to Churchie over the last two season.
UNSUNG PLAYERS FROM EARLIER THIS DECADE
Jacob Bath (TSS)
A glue player in another golden era of The Southport School cricket, Bath would open the bowling with his off spin, score runs in a crisis and astutely place the field for his bowlers. He was a little bit of everything to the side.
Henry Hillier (Churchie)
Along with Bath, Hillier would have to be the unsung player of the decade. A left arm orthodox spinner, he has been remarkable as a new ball bowler for Chuchie with both his control and ability to lure top order batsmen into error.
Tom Gossett (TSS)
Gossett was a pillar during The Southport School’s 2021 premiership winning performance. He kept things tight, snared wickets (13) and consistently scored runs across the summer. Gossett also played in 2020.
Toby Snell (Terrace)
Snell, who went on to play Australian U19s, was outstanding for Terrace at the start of the decade, with his glovework, batting, leadership and personality all contributing to his status in the group.
Jeremy White and Aubrey Stockdale
White was superb as a fast bowling enforcer for Terrace earlier this decade. He and Stockdale, a shadow player for the Australian U19 World Cup squad, shook, rattled and rolled the opposition batsmen. Frustratingly for Terrace, it was one of the few times in 20 years the First XI had its two premier pace bowlers available in tandem.
Ted Waterman (TSS)
The right arm outswing bowler was remarkable in 2023, claiming 12 wickets at just 6.80 runs. He bowled line and length like no other bowler in the competition, and his pressure at the bowling crease surely lifted his fielding teammates.
Steve Timms (Churchie)
Timms was one of the all-rounders of the 2021 competition, scoring 200 at 28.52 and claiming 12 wickets. His bowling gave Churchie a chance in most matches across both 2020 and 2021.
Ethan Du Payne (BGS)
Du Payne fought hard for his 188 runs in 2023, toiling for 417 minutes on his way to averaging 37. He has been a real fighter.
Callum Galvin (TGS)
Galvin was one of the players of the season in both 2021 and 2022, super consistent with the bat and ball. He’d chip in with wickets and always score handy runs.
Angus Tolhurst (BGS)
Tolhurst was at the coal face when BGS gained parity in the competition in 2021, before winning it the next season. He scored runs as a tail gunner, consistently making between 20 and 50 in 2021, and his scrambling new ball left arm spin was controlled and built pressure from ball No.1.
Hamish McDonald (Churchie)
McDonald’s aggressive batting turned matches in 2022, while his accurate leg-spinners often took opposing openers out of their comfort zone when he took the new ball.
Sam Bell (BBC)
Bell was an excellent leg-spinner and accomplished batsman who, in 2022, rallied his side late in the order when they seemed down and out.
Jacob Cibulka (IGS)
In 2023 Cibulka scored just over 200 runs and took 12 wickets in what was a top shelf season.
Liam O’Connor (TSS)
Across 2021, O’Connor’s 20 wickets was a big reason for his team’s title success. His season included the distinction of one five wicket haul.
Gurnoor Singh Randhawa (TGS)
Randhawa was magnificent for TGS during 2023, scoring more than 260 runs and always chipping in with wickets.
Lachlan Crump (TSS)
Crump was another high achiever in TSS’s 2021 premiership season, scoring more than 250 runs and always taking wickets. His season best was 3-8 against Terrace.
James Eustance (Terrace)
Eustance claimed 13 wickets at 16 during a stellar 2023, a great contribution to the Terrace campaign that year.
Harry Bloomfield (IGS)
Bloomfield was one of the reasons for IGS’s combative season in 2021, with his 16 wickets an outstanding return.
Carter Corless (Nudgee)
Paceman Corless did a great job breaking partnerships across the summer of 2023 when he claimed 15 wickets at 15.
Laurie Maugeri (Nudgee)
Maugeri was excellent for his school in season 2021, scoring 222 runs at 24.66 while also consistently claiming wickets with his medium pace, bowling first change.
Ryan Summers (TSS)
Summers was a magnificent support bowler for his side during 2022, remarkably accurate and always building pressure.
Campbell Cowan (BBC)
Cowan and Taj Annan were the wind behind BBC’s 2020 premiership success which was shared alongside Terrace. Annan was the team captain, while Cowan was the captain of cricket.
Griffith Williams (TSS)
Williams was one of the competition’s most economical bowlers, including a spell of 10-4-8-3 against Nudgee in the game which decided the premiers. He also scored 160 runs at 26.67 in 2023.
Matthew Fielding (Nudgee)
Fielding had a splendid career under the Nudgee First XI cap, with his ability to score quickly as an opener and then perform behind the stumps giving his side extra depth.
Thisaja Samarawickrama
TJ had a special 2023, snaring nine wickets at 17.56 and averaging 20 with the bat. He was always attacking with bat and ball.
Noah Emmerson (IGS)
Slow bowler Emmerson was a magnificent partnership bowler. He took the pace off the ball, built pressure and was never far from the action in 2021.
Kruger Ewald (TGS)
An elite rugby hooker, Ewald kissed up against making the 2022 Team of the Year when his left arm spin tied opposition line-ups in knots. In 2023 he did eventually make the Team of the Season after taking 19 wickets at 9.11 - but only after his unsung season in 2022.
Robbie Sanders (BGS)
Sanders was a find of the 2021 season, with his new ball bowling consistently getting BGS away to a flying start in the field.
Charlie Moore (Churchie)
Moore was at his economical best across the 2023 summer, forming a great partnership with spinner Henry Hillier who was mentioned earlier.
Luke Wegner (IGS)
Right arm fast bowler Wegner had a good 2023 season with wickets complementing a low economy rate. He was also handy with the bat.
Jack Heelan (BBC)
Heelan was a terrific bowling option for BBC in 2023, coming on fourth or fifth change when batsmen were looking to rough up the bowlers.
Dan Boreham and Ed Storen (Churchie)
Boreham, a right arm medium pacer, regularly struck with the new ball while Storen was also a fine player earlier this decade for his school.
Fergus McFadyen (Nudgee)
McFadyen was handy with both ball and bat, with his contribution at the bowling crease, in particular, completing strike bowler Angus McLean, off-spinner Jack Balkin, Ed Kasprowicz and Carter Corless.
Riley Johnson (TSS)
The 2024 premiership winning captain, Johnson was the gloveman and middle order batting ace whose summer included scores of 90, 70 and 51 – often at a cracking pace.
Connor Rudman (Churchie)
Rudman averaged 30 while batting under pressure for Churchie during 2024, a fine return in the circumstances.
Findlay Jones (Nudgee)
Nudgee’s opener across 2024, his 224 runs at an average of 32 was a more valuable contribution than it first seems.
Kane Neilsen (Nudgee)
An opener in 2022, he was consistently good against the new ball, scoring good runs against quality attacks.
Tom Stubbins (Terrace)
Stubbins was a good cricketer for Terrace this decade, with his 2023 haul of 15 wickets a highlight. He also scored 51 in that season.
Oliver Skerl and Oliver Spence (BGS)
In 2022 Spencer had a good season with the bat and was handy with the ball, while Skerl mesmerised opponents with his spin and guile. As a bowling unit they provided variation and support to the pace attack.
Originally published as GPS First XI cricket’s unsung players of the decade - including this season
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