Our mid-season Team of the Year for each MPCA division
The weekend marks the halfway point of the Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association season. We’ve named our mid-season Team of the Year for every division.
South East
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This weekend marks the halfway point of the Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association season.
To celebrate we’ve attempted to name our mid-season Team of the Year for each division.
Did we get it right?
PROVINCIAL
1. MATTHEW PROSSER, Langwarrin
The dominant all-rounder is likely on his way to a fourth consecutive Wally Wedgwood Medal with 253 runs and 12 wickets to date. He’s has made two half centuries, 97 and 70, and has taken a wicket in every game this season.
2. DALE ELMI, Baden Powell
Elmi has made 17 or more in each of his seven trips to the crease this season for a return of 287 runs. He’s made three half centuries, 56, 78no and 97, and nabbed eight wickets.
3. KRISTIAN MILLER, Heatherhill
The Heatherhill skipper leads the competition for runs with 304 and at average of 76. He’s made scores of 73 and 96no either side of his brilliant century against Long Island.
4. HARLEY PEACE-STIRLING, Pines
Peace-Stirling heads into the Christmas break with 286 runs at an average of 66.75. He crunched a terrific ton against Sorrento and quickly backed that up with 71no against Red Hill.
5. RHYS ELMI, Baden Powell
Elmi is having a strong all-round season with 11 wickets and 152 runs, which is excluding his 119 off 54 balls in the Jack Peacock Cup.
6. LUKE KRANZBUHLER, Sorrento
Kranzbuhler is averaging over 30 with the bat (183 runs) and 21 with the ball (eight wickets). He played a key role in both of Sorrento’s two wins this season.
7. TRAVIS KELLERMAN, Baden Powell
The Baden Powell dasher slides down the order due to the strength of the top order. His 226 runs and 10 dismissals earns him the role as this side’s wicket keeper.
8. RICKY RAMSDALE, Pines
Ramsdale shares the top-wicket takers mantle leading into Christmas, capturing 16 at an average off 12.19. He’s varied up and down the order but made a quick-fire 51 against Baden Powell in round 2.
9. PAT JACKSON, Pines
Jackson sits with Ramsdale on 16 wickets but has a slightly lesser average of 13.5. While he’s listed at nine, Jackson has had some clutch moments with the bat this year, scoring 29 and 39 not out to beat Old Peninsula and Heatherhill this season.
10. NEIL BARFUSS, Heatherhill
Barfuss has taken a wicket in each match this year and multiples in two. His 11 wickets have come at an average of 19.
11. MICHAEL BURKE, Long Island
Burke has been shining light for Long Island this summer with 10 wickets at 13.5. He has the best strike rate of any of the top 10 wicket takers.
PENINSULA
1. LAHIRU OPATHA, Mt Eliza
Could be on his way to a second consecutive John Hille Medal with 323 runs at 46 and 12 wickets at 14.
2. BRAYDEN ROSCOE, Seaford Tigers
Scores of 95no and 79 has the Tigers opener second in the competition for runs. He’s also taken eight catches and one stumping.
3. BOBBY WILSON, Dromana
Dromana’s boom recruit has delivered with both bat and ball, sitting third in the league for runs (234 at 47) and is second for wickets (16 at 12.94).
4. SAM FOWLER, Dromana
Fowler has rarely failed this year, scoring 215 runs at 35.67. He’s also contributed with the ball, jagging nine wickets.
5. LUKE ROWE, Somerville
Earns a spot off some solid starts and his blistering 147 against Mornington. He’s realistically only failed once to date.
6. SHANE HOCKEY, Mornington
Hockey heads into Christmas with 202 runs at an average of 33.5. He hasn’t bowled as much this season but has bowled well when Mornington captain Zac Garnett has thrown him the ball.
7. PATRICK NAGEL, Rosebud
Nagel currently sits inside the top 10 for runs (202 at 50.5) and is equal fourth for wickets (13 at 16.31).
8. MANDADIGE FERNANDO, Baxter
The all-rounder has only played four games for Baxter this season but has made a big impact when he has. In those four matches he’s scored 94 runs at 24 and taken 14 wickets at 11.79.
9. ASHLEY NAGEL, Rosebud
Nagel hasn’t had the summer he would’ve liked to date with the bat but has performed strongly with the ball. He shares fourth in the competition with his brother for wickets, jagging 13 at 15.23.
10. BRYCE MCGAIN, Mornington
The ex-Test spinner has had a brilliant first half of the season, capturing 17 wickets at 9.47. Last Saturday was the first time McGain went wicketless.
11. MICHAEL WHINCUP, Moorooduc
Whincup has taken 11 wickets at 26.73 this summer and has bowled 17 or more overs on three occasions.
DISTRICT
1. LUKE HEWITT, Balnarring
An unclosed match on PlayHQ has Hewitt’s season looking slimmer than it truly is. He’s returned to the District competition with a bang, recording two unbeaten hundreds and a half century before Christmas.
2. JONNY GUTHRIE, Delacombe Park
The reliable Delacombe Park opener has 245 runs at 49 to go with his four dismissals.
3. GORDON WATERFALL, Carrum Downs
Waterfall has had another terrific year for the Cougars, accumulating 253 runs at 42.17. He’s made a hundred (105 against Crib Point) and a fifty to date.
4. JACOB FOXWELL, Seaford
Foxwell enters the break with 239 runs at 34.14. He’s made three scores in the 30s this year but the one time he made it to the 40s he went on to make 108. He’s also fourth for wickets with 11.
5. ROBERT JOHNSTON, Carrum Downs
With 218 runs to his name for only one dismissal, Johnston holds an average of 218 at the midway point of the year.
6. BLAKE HOGAN-KEOGH, Crib Point
Crib Point’s star recruit has added to the Magpies’ firepower this year with 214 runs at 53.5. He’s recorded half centuries against Main Ridge and Delacombe Park – Crib Point won both of those matches.
7. MATTHEW BLAKE, Crib Point
The reigning league medallist leads the competition for wickets, with 15 at 17.07 and has made some runs with the bat, scoring 87 against Carrum earlier in the year.
8. ANDREW SHARP, Crib Point
The right-arm seamer has bowled very tidily this season while also taking wickets. He’s got 11 wickets at 13.7 and is going at just 2.3 an over.
9. DANIEL STREKER, Delacombe Park
Streker has captured 10 wickets at 14 this summer after taking 5-20 against Balnarring.
10. ANDREW SMITH, Seaford
Smith has followed up his strong 2022-23 with a hot start to 2023-24, nabbing 14 wickets at 21.
11. SAM FIELD, Flinders
The rising star has made major improvements this year, snagging 14 wickets at 24.43. He hasn’t quite dominated with the bat but, if his underage batting numbers are anything to go by, that will come along quickly.
SUB-DISTRICT
1. THOMAS WALKER, Mt Martha
Walker is having a phenomenal year, having scored 236 runs at 47.2 and taking 17 wickets at 16.
2. EVAN WILLIAMS, Mt Martha
Williams has registered 229 runs at 32.71 opening bat and captured eight wickets at 12 for the third-placed Reds.
3. ALEX THORNHILL, Tyabb
Tyabb’s English import has had few troubles adjusting to the MPCA, scoring 255 runs at 42.5. He’s made three half-centuries and a 47 but is yet to go on and get a big score.
4. DILASRI LOKUBANDARA, Boneo
Lokubandara has looked promising in many innings but seems to find ways to get out once set. He’s made one fifty but has made plenty of starts.
5. MATTHEW WHELAN, Tootgarook
A regular in any Sub-District Team of the Year, Whelan is at it again. He leads the competition for runs with 256 at 36.57.
6. BEN STALLWORTHY, Mt Martha
The Reds all-rounder has 173 runs at 34.6 to go with his nine wickets at 15.56.
7. FARHAN HUSSAIN, Skye
Hussain has 14 wickets at 17 to date and has made some contributions with the bat.
8. ELLIOT LORD, Mt Martha
Lord has 13 wickets at an impressive average of just 7.6. He took 5-12 against Tootgarook and 4-29 against Tyabb.
9. RYAN REGAN, Hastings
Regan sits third in the competition with 17 scalps at 15. He’s taken multiple wickets in six of his seven games so far.
10. JACK BEALE, Boneo
Beale is one of the reasons the Pandas are sitting on top of the Sub-District ladder. He’s got 20 wickets at 9.9, headlined by an 8-40 against Hastings.
11. LACHLAN HOSE, Tyabb
The left-arm off-spinner has had an excellent year, capturing 24 wickets at 10.96. His hot start has caught the attention of the Country Week selectors.
