Sub-District cricket: Oakleigh fast bowler Michael Splatt retires from Subbies
One of the Oaks’ greatest players has called it a day after more than 200 matches in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association.
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It was a photo taken after a final last year.
Michael Splatt had just taken 6-20 off 17 overs for Oakleigh against Ormond and was walking to the changerooms, accompanied by warm applause.
He smiled, removed his cap to modestly acknowledge the clapping hands and disappeared from view.
The photo can serve as a farewell image for Splatt now that the champion Oak has retired from Sub-District cricket.
At age 35 he was playing as well as ever: he claimed 25 wickets last season, 42 in 2019-20, 35 in 2018-19 and 32 in 2017-18.
Splatt and Alexander Jones have formed the best new-ball combination in Sub-District cricket for a few years, giving the impression they could protect any total at the Oakleigh ground.
But Splatt said this afternoon that he wanted to spend more time with his young family (he has two sons).
“Tough decision to make but the boys are getting a bit older and I need to think about my family,’’ he said.
“Sad to give it away, especially with the team going so well. But looking forward to the next part of life.’’
A skilled and accurate right-arm bowler, attacking right-hand batsman and sure catcher in the slips, Splatt figured in five First XI premierships for Oakleigh, as well as five Twenty20 titles.
His head turning to the nickname of “Jex’’, he played his 200th match in 2019-20 and with his brother, Andrew, gained life membership of the Oaks last year.
The Splatts had joined Oakleigh in 2000-2001.
“Mum’s dad was a life member, Gordon Raymant, and there were no juniors at the time but mum thought she would take us down, and we clicked straight away with Peter Webb (president),’’ he recalled.
At the age of 19 he was 12th man in that remarkable grand final against Box Hill, when Oakleigh crashed to 4-2 on the Sunday but recovered to run down 7-238.
He played more prominent roles in five other premiership teams, including 2015-16 against Caulfield when he hit hard and straight for a vital 41 not out, then took two early wickets.
In the 2018-19 grand final he and Jones captured four wickets each as the Oaks hustled out Elsternwick for 62.
In the previous season he grabbed 8-9 off 7.1 overs against Moorabbin.
Splatt had made his debut in the 2006-07 season under the captaincy of Jarrod Travaglia and alongside Oakleigh greats Ben “Spike’’ Pinwill and Daniel Junkeer.
On top of a string of club awards, he was named in three VSDCA teams of the year and won a Jack Sheehan Medal as player of the grand final.
He finished with 213 matches, 358 wickets and more than 3000 runs, many of them made when Oakleigh needed a few.
The last thing a tiring attack operating under a hot sun needed to see was Splatt walking to the creases at 5pm.
“I was lucky … it certainly exceeded all my expectations,’’ he said of his VSDCA career.
“Played with some unbelievable people, leaders who pointed me in the right direction. Lucky enough to get some rewards.’’
Splatt said he was fortunate to play alongside Pinwill, Travaglia and captain Brendan McGuinness.
He said he learned a lot from Pinwill.
“To watch him bowl day in, day out at training, his metronomic skill, that made me a better player.
“When ‘JT’ (Travaglia) arrived, I was sort of in the twos and he made you believe in your ability and gave you a chance. Just being around that environment … I was more of a watch-and-learn player, I didn’t really go out of my way to learn off anyone, but I’d watch Spike and even Alex and see how they went about it.’’
Champion Caulfield batsman Graeme Rummans said Splatt had been a “fantastic’’ player.
“Excellent new-ball bowler with his late swing and he’d hit the seam regularly, the same as ‘Jonesy’ (Jones) … they’re a tremendous new-ball combination,’’ Rummans said.
“I know as a lower-order batsman he scored a lot of important runs against Caulfield over the years. Really good all-round cricketer, and a fantastic fella too.’’
MICHAEL SPLATT AT OAKLEIGH
First XI matches: 213
Wickets: 358 at 15.48 (8 fie-wickets hails)
Best bowling: 8-9
Runs: 3093 runs at 20.35 (12 x 50s)
Highest score: 95
Catches: 95
Premierships: five
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