Players primed to have a good finals series in Ballarat cricket

Finals are here in the Ballarat cricket competition with four teams to battle for the Division 1 title. We list the players to look out for ahead of the semi-finals.

Ajay Mada has been one of the best players for Mount Clear in his first season with the club. Picture: Mount Clear Cricket Club.

The Ballarat Cricket Association finals are here and all four sides will think they are a genuine chance to win it all.

Just four points separated the top four teams in Division 1 at the end of the regular season and Mount Clear, Golden Point, Ballarat-Redan and East Ballarat remain in the hunt.

Golden Point, who take on Ballarat-Redan, and Mount Clear, who face East Ballarat, will be looking to make the grand final again after both teams made it last year.

Mount Clear is looking for back-to-back titles after winning its first title in nine years last season.

So who are the players to look out for?

We’ve compiled four players from each finals club who could be the difference between premiership glory or going out in the first round of finals.

They are listed below, in alphabetical order.

Matt Aikman is one of the key players for Ballarat-Redan. Picture: Ballarat-Redan Cricket Club.

Matt Aikman, Ballarat-Redan – One of the leading bowlers in the competition with 33 wickets this season. This includes four wicket or more hauls in four matches this season. He recently played for Ballarat in Country Week.

Josh Brown, East Ballarat – The leading wicket taker for the club this season, claiming 25 wickets. This includes a 7/45 against fellow semi-finalist Golden Point earlier this season.

Harry Ganley is a player to look out for at East Ballarat. Picture: East Ballarat Cricket Club.

Harry Ganley, East Ballarat – Has scored more than 400 runs in the competition and is one of the most consistent batsmen in the East Ballarat side. Has scored more than 30 in six of his past seven matches. Ganley has also taken 19 wickets with the ball.

Ashley George, Mount Clear – Is one of a few to take more than 30 wickets this season. The leg spin bowler is in good form after taking 7/64 in the last match of the season against fellow finalists Ballarat-Redan.

Jayden Hayes, Ballarat-Redan – The middle order batsmen is the leading run scorer this season for his club, scoring 415 runs. He has made two half centuries and averaged 37. Also a talented spinner.

Lewis Hodgins, East Ballarat – Pivotal with both bat and ball. Hodgins has averaged more than 30 opening the batting for East Ballarat and taken 13 wickets with the ball. This includes a three-wicket haul last round against Napoleons Sebastopol.

Thomas Le Lievre, Mount Clear – One of the leading players in the competition. Le Lievre played in Country Week for Ballarat and has made 5321 runs in first grade this season. He has made six half centuries this season and made 116 for Ballarat against Maryborough in Country Week. A key to the team’s success.

Ajay Mada has been one of the best players for Mount Clear in his first season with the club. Picture: Mount Clear Cricket Club.

Ajay Mada, Mount Clear – Impressed in his first season at Mount Clear. Mada is the leading wicket taker in the competition with 38 during the season. Has claimed three wickets or more in an innings six times.

The Ballarat-Redan captain Nathan Patrikeo has been one of the best players this season in Ballarat cricket. Picture: Ballarat-Redan Cricket Club.

Nathan Patrikeos, Ballarat-Redan – Another bowler who has taken more than 30 wickets this season in the competition. Has best figures of 6/29 taken against Darley this season.

Joshua Pegg, Golden Point – One of the leading all-rounders in the competition. Averages more than 30 with the bat and has also taken more than 20 wickets. He’s also made a century this season, one of only a handful of players to do it in first grade.

Lukas Pegg, Golden Point – In great form in the competition. Pegg is the seventh leading run scorer in the competition and is averaging more than 43 in first grade. In four of his last six games, Pegg has scored a half century.

Ravi Sandhu, Ballarat-Redan – The only player for Ballarat-Redan to make a century in first grade this season. The opener is averaging 35 in all grades and will be vital to giving the club a great start in their innings.

Tom Walton, East Ballarat – Has averaged more than 35 with the bat for East Ballarat in first grade. Has been a key member for the middle order for the side in the past few matches, making plenty of runs.

Matt Ward, Mount Clear – The opener has scored more than 350 runs for the team this season at an average of more than 33. Played for Ballarat at Country Week.

Andrew Warrick, Golden Point – Took seven wickets in last year’s grand final and is the leading wicket taker for Golden Point this season with 19. Warrick is a leading paceman for the team.

Joshua White, Golden Point – The sixth leading run scorer in the competition this year. White has made 457 runs, including three half centuries this season. The first drop batsmen has scored two of those half centuries against two of the three semi-finalists this season.