Victorian Premier Cricket: Carlton and Ringwood win T20 titles
Carlton and Ringwood coaches have pinpointed the keys to their success in this year’s T20 Premier Cricket competition as we reveal the top performers.
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If you’re in it, win it.
After winning its third successive Vic Super Slam title, Carlton coach Evan Gulbis has revealed his side won’t be taking any competition that offers a premiership lightly.
The Blues won their four T20 flag in five seasons on Thursday, chasing Melbourne’s 9-120 with six wickets in hand.
“We’re in the business of winning premierships, if you have an opportunity to win one, go and do it,” Gulbis said.
“The attitude around the competition needs to change, you’ve got two competitions you have to go and win or have a crack at.
“I am not saying some teams don’t, I do understand it’s hard when you’re playing Tuesday nights when people have work.
“But I think if you’re playing the best cricket you can play, your best cricket all the time, you are going to make each competition better and also make a higher standard you can learn from for your Saturday cricket as well.
“There’s a lot of dynamics to it, we look at it as a great way to blood some new players but it’s a tournament to go and win, I don’t think our attitude around it has changed for the last three or four years and it’s probably why we have had the success we have had.”
With that appetite for success in mind, Carlton is also using the competition as “a vessel” to develop its younger players, just with the addition of balance and structure.
“It’s a vessel to try and get game into guys,” he said.
“I know a lot of clubs try and use that as well, but I think the way we approach is: one or two in each game and still have that strong structure around them.
“Teach them the right way to play cricket, not just chuck them in the deep end and let them fail.
“I think Lucas Brasher was a great example, he was the leading wicket-taker of the round robin games, he’s a 15-16-year-old kid, to be able to have good performances out of those guys shows a lot for where our club is going to be in the future.
“When you have two competitions, you’re always trying to win whatever you can; to go back-to-back-to-back is pretty impressive.”
Meanwhile in the women’s game, Ringwood turned previous results against Carlton on its head with a stunning nine-wicket win.
Scottish international Sarah Bryce (62 runs off 47 balls) and Olivia Henry (36 off 26) shared a 76-run opening stand to help their side power to victory after being set 139 for victory.
Carlton had posted 4-138 from its 20 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat with Sophie Reid top scoring with 59 runs.
Ringwood coach Chris O’Brien hailed the impact of his opening pair.
“Sarah has been a class above since she joined us at the start of the year,” he said.
“When you’re able to bring in a player of her quality to replace Bess (Heath), you’re in a very good position. I thought her and Liv put us in a really commanding position.
“Uma (Raymond-Hoey) hit the ball really cleanly as well, she made 80-odd in the men’s fourths a couple of weeks ago and that’s really seen her return to near her best. Her speech after the game was fantastic, she sets a great example for the club like Tom Rogers does with the men.
“We’re very lucky to have her as part of the program.”
O’Brien admitted his side’s were “probably the underdogs” ahead of the clash given their recent one-day form.
They’ve won just two matches in the longer form this season.
“We’ve got a really young and talented group,” he said.
“Our form hasn’t been where we’d like it to be in the best few weeks but we went away and did our homework and the girls were able to deliver.
“We’ve put a strong emphasis on a team first mentality and they’ve really brought into it.”
PREMIERSHIP SQUADS
CARLTON: Evan Gulbis (captain-coach), Cameron Stevenson, Eddy O’Sullivan, Thomas Smyth, Harrison Smyth, Connor Rutland, Mackenzie Harvey, Jai Lemire, Xavier Crone, Dominic Sullivan, Izan Ul-Shakih, Lucas Brasher, Nicholas Ross.
RINGWOOD: Una Raymond-Hoey (captain), Kristy Arulrajah, Chloe Blacker, Sarah Bryce, Adelaide Campion, Erin Carrol, Olivia Henry, Mikayla Lewis-Simmonds, Tegan Rule, Alexandra Sheedy, Bess Heath.
T20 TOP PERFORMERS
MEN
RUNS
Evan Gulbis (Carlton) – 196 runs at 32.67
Andrej Yaksender (Melbourne Uni) – 178 runs at 59.33
Jack Rudd (Fitzroy Doncaster) – 161 runs at 40.25
Zane Keighran (Melbourne) – 152 at 25.33
Thaveesh Attanyake (Kingston Hawthorn) – 150 at 37.50
WICKETS
Xavier Crone (Carlton) – 11 wickets at 6.91
Lucas Brasher (Carlton) – 10 wickets at 6.80
Ikroop Dhanoa (Fitzroy Doncaster) – 9 wickets at 6.22
Thomas Nelson (Camberwell Magpies) – 9 wickets at 10.00
Fergus O’Neill (Melbourne) – 9 wickets at 10.22
WOMEN
RUNS
Nicole Faltum (Dandenong) – 279 runs at 55.80
Sophie Reid (Carlton) – 223 runs at 44.60
Bess Heath (Ringwood) – 210 runs at 70.00
Una Raymond-Hoey (Ringwood) – 206 runs at 51.50
Emma Corney (Plenty Valley) – 191 runs at 31.83
WICKETS
Anna O’Donnell (Melbourne) – 9 wickets at 9.67
Katia Jomini (EMP) – 9 wickets at 10.11
Hailey Ferris (Ringwood) – 9 wickets at 13.44
Kiara Jones (Plenty Valley) – 9 wickets at 14.44
Cailin Green (Carlton) – 8 wickets at 17.13
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