Craig Sheedy shocked after winning VTCA Peter Howarth Shield best-and-fairest award

Aberfeldie all-rounder Craig Sheedy was stunned when he was named the Peter Howarth Shield’s best player for 2018-19, admitting he didn’t believe he’d had such a strong season.

Craig Sheedy in action for Aberfeldie.

Aberfeldie all-rounder Craig Sheedy was stunned last week when he was named the Peter Howarth Shield’s best player for 2018-19.

The Abers veteran claimed the VTCA Division 1 West best-and-fairest on 25 votes, one vote clear of Deer Park’s Angelo Emmanuel and Dinesh Cooray of Airport West St Christopher’s.

Sheedy was Aberfeldie’s second leading run-getter and wicket-taker as the club fell agonisingly short of a grand final appearance, losing by two runs to the Saints in the semi-final.

VTCA: CLUBBERS LAND SIGNING OF THE OFF-SEASON

LEADER: GET YOUR LOCAL SPORT NEWS FIX HERE

SUBBIES: THORNE DOES IT AGAIN IN HOLTON COUNT

A distinguished performer for Premier clubs Essendon and Carlton, Sheedy won a Val Holton Medal as the best player in Sub-District Cricket with Williamstown in 2010-11 before moving to Aberfeldie this season.

However, the opening batsman revealed he wasn’t completely satisfied with his award-winning season.

“It was a bit of a surprise to find out I’d won the medal,” he said.

Craig Sheedy appeals for a wicket.

Craig Sheedy in action for Aberfeldie.

“It wasn’t that great of a season in terms of runs, the wickets were OK, but I would have liked more runs.

“(Being an all-rounder) keeps you in the game, you can have a bad day with the ball and a good day with the bat.

“Cricket’s been good to me.”

Sheedy finished the season with 250 runs at an average of 20 in 12 Peter Howarth Shield matches, adding 27 wickets at an incredible average of 8.6 and a strike-rate of 22.5.

Deer Park’s Angelo Emmanuel.

Airport West St Christopher’s Dinesh Cooray. Picture: David Smith

Aberfeldie will reload as they chase promotion to Senior Division in 2019-20 with their near-miss added motivation.

“We were a bit up and down during the year,” Sheedy said.

“It was disappointing to get that far and be in a position to win but we let ourselves down with the bat in the end.”

Airport West St Christopher’s batsman Gihan Kankanamge was the leading run scorer in Howarth Shield with 484 runs during the home-and-away season at an average of 44 while Sheedy’s teammate Sohan Boralessa led the league with 36 wickets.

VTCA AWARD WINNERS

SENIOR: Kaushal Lokuarachichi (Keilor), runner-up Lorenzo Ingram (Doutta Stars)

DIV 1 NORTH: Chinthaka Jayasinghe (Westmeadows), runner-up Aaron Maynard (St Francis de Sales)

DIV 1 WEST: Craig Sheedy (Aberfeldie), runners-up Angelo Emmanuel (Deer Park), Dinesh Cooray (Airport West St Christopher’s)

SPIRIT OF CRICKET: John Gioupas (Haig Fawkner), Geoff Law (West Coburg) & Andrew Leetet (Williamstown CYMS)

SENIOR TEAM OF THE YEAR

Hamish Moore (Doutta Stars)

Kaushal Lokuarachchi (Keilor)

Lorenzo Ingram (Doutta Stars)

Omar Phillips (Strathmore)

Lucas Kennedy (Strathmore)

Brenton Parchment (Doutta Stars) (Capt)

Justin Bramble (Strathmore)

Upal Bandara (Keilor)

Chanaka Welegedara (Strathmore)

Dinesh Darshanapriya (Keilor)

Jamie McIlroy (Doutta Stars)