Premier Cricket: Master blasters go big in our Team of the Week

Big hitting, rapid half centuries and a five-wicket haul headlined a Premier Cricket round full of T20s. Here is the Team of the Week.

It was T20 time — and the big hitters delivered.

There were quickfire 50s, 34 off an over and even a five-for in the men’s competition while in the women’s competition, there was an abundance of openers taking their chance in the powerplay and the return of some WBBL stars.

Here is our best XI from both sides of the Victorian Premier Cricket competition.

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1. Harry Dixon, St Kilda

Dixon hit 27 in the first game before exploding in the second. The left-hander whacked 58 from 23 balls, highlighted by taking former BBL off-spinner Arjun Nair for 34 off an over.

Harry Dixon. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

2. Josh Brown, Fitzroy Doncaster

The power hitter tonked 83 from 36 balls against Greenvale, including seven fours and six sixes. When he was dismissed, he had 83 of the Lions’ 99.

3. Fergus McKenna, Melbourne University

The Uni skipper unleashed a power-hitting display to fire his side to an eight-wicket victory over Melbourne. He made 69 not out, including four sixes, and brought up the winning runs with a reverse sweep for four.

4. Jack Taylor, Kingston Hawthorn

The Gloucestershire white ball star was back from a T10 tournament in Dubai and was in cracking form as he blazed 71 off 42 balls, including 5 sixes, to set up the Hawks’ win over Northcote.

5. Sam Harbinson, Northcote

The all-rounder was a standout on a difficult weekend for the Dragons. Harbinson top-scored in both T20 losses, smashing 51 from 37 balls against Prahran, then 34 off 20 against Kingston Hawthorn. He also snared five wickets across the two matches, his best figures of 4-31 against the True Blues. Also took two catches.

6. Connor Rutland, Carlton

Rutland made up for his quiet first game with an eyebrow-raising second. He carved 85no from only 36 balls with five fours and an impressive seven sixes. It’s a highlights package worth watching.

Connor Rutland. Picture: Andy Brownbill

7. Liam Barthorpe, Fitzroy Doncaster

The Lions star continues to cement himself as the best wicketkeeper-batsman in Premier Cricket. Was handy in the weekend’s opening match, scoring 21 runs off 23 balls and taking a catch in a loss to Ringwood. However, he exploded in the day’s second outing, smashing 62 off 44 deliveries against Greenvale. Hit seven boundaries and a six in the win.

8. Ruwantha Kellapotha, Casey South Melbourne

Kellapotha blitzed Essendon, crunching an unbeaten 55 from 36 balls before capturing 4-22 with the ball.

9. Cameron McClure, Prahran

Produced one of the best bowling performances of the T20 weekend, snaring 5-27 to help Prahran knock off Northcote in the opening match of the day at Walter Galt Reserve. The Victoria paceman removed both openers and bowled a rare maiden. The second match of the day didn’t go as well, finishing with 1-38 in a loss to Kingston Hawthorn.

10. Saad Khattak, Kingston Hawthorn

The off-spinner played a starring role in the Hawks’ win over Prahran, taking 3-19 and then hitting the winning run, making 7no off 3 balls.

11. Brendan Rose, Richmond

The paceman collected five wickets across the two T20 matches, including 3-26 in the Tigers’ win over Camberwell Magpies. He has 14 wickets for the season.

Sam Harbinson of Northcote. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

WOMEN’S

1. Olivia Henry, Prahran

Henry bowled beautifully for the True Blues before delivering with the bat. She snared 2-16 off four overs with the new ball ahead of her important 20 at the top of the order.

2. Umasha Thimeshani, Plenty Valley

The Sri Lankan right-hander swatted two slog sweeps for six to go with 9 boundaries as she made 60 off 56 balls before being run out by a direct hit throw in the second last over in the loss to Geelong.

3. Jennifer Taffs, Prahran

A captain’s knock from the True Blues skipper, inspiring her team to victory in the final T20 of the season. Chasing Melbourne’s 7-146, Prahran was in early trouble at 2-61 but Taffs steadied the ship and guided it home with an unbeaten 55. Her 36-ball knock included six boundaries and a pair of sixes. Combined with Lucy Page for a matchwinning 85-run third-wicket stand.

4. Georgia Prestwidge, Melbourne

The Melbourne Renegade title winner produced 59 off 42 balls in her first game after the WBBL final, hitting five fours and three sixes.

Prestwidge bats during the Renegades’ WBBL title win. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

5. Poppy Gardner, Dandenong

The all-rounder had a terrific game for the ladder-leading Panthers against EMP, taking 3-16 off four overs with her left-armers and then peeling off 34 not out off 28 balls (3 fours), including hitting the winning run.

6. Lucy Page, Prahran

Played a critical role with the ball as the True Blues’ rolled Melbourne. Page removed dangerous openers Amy Yates and Ella Hayward for just five runs apiece and finished with 2-29. Then helped guide her team to victory with the bat, scoring 41 from 34 balls. Combined with Taffs in an 85-run third-wicket partnership before falling with scores level. Took a catch too.

7. Amelie Munday, Geelong

The UK international bat falls down the order to wicket keep in this side. On Sunday she blasted 69no from 44 balls at the top of the order for the Cats in a resounding win over Plenty Valley.

Amelie Munday. Picture: Supplied.

8. Annabelle Glossop, Geelong

The off-spinner took the new ball and struck in her second over against Plenty Valley and went on to take 3-16 off four overs. She was on a hat-trick after striking twice in a row in the final over.

9. Emilia Wilson, Box Hill

An incredible display of economical bowling from Wilson. The Wales international finished with figures of 1-9 from her four overs, conceding just 2.25 runs per over. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to help the Mustangs beat Ringwood.

10. Jessica Matin, Dandenong

Matin removed two of EMP’s top five batters in a spell of 2-20 off four. Along with Gardner, Matin bowled the Panthers into a winning position.

11. Mikayla Lewis-Simmonds, Ringwood

Came on to bowl in the 12th over and broke a 63-run partnership and finished with 2-9 off three overs in the win over Box Hill.