Cricket Southern Bayside: The players set to shape the 2024-25 premiership race

Who are the proven stars and young talents in Cricket Southern Bayside? We look at the 35 most influential players set to shape the premiership race.

The Cricket Southern Bayside season is in full swing.

And the contenders and stars are starting to emerge.

We’ve identified 35 players set to shape the premiership race in Championship and Division 1.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Jacob Apted, Bentleigh

The left-armer who played Premier Cricket in Queensland has taken wickets in every game and has 10 poles already.

Adam Bull, Beaumaris

The star opener who hit more than 5500 runs and six centuries for Prahran showed his class with 81 off 60 balls against South Caulfield in Round 5.

Matthew Corcoran, Beaumaris

The spinner made a cracking start to the season with 5-46 in the opening round and has nine wickets at 12.

Michael De Iacovo, South Caulfield

The ex-St Kilda dynamo is great to watch when he’s in full flight. Hits the ball hard and scores fast and can change a game in a matter of overs.

Comrey Edgeworth, Mentone

The classy former Dandenong batsman has started strongly with scores of 62, 47 and 50. Turns bad balls into boundaries.

Comrey Edgeworth batting for Mentone. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Brad Erasmus, South Caulfield

The champion opener hit his 13th century for South in Round 6, taking his ton-tally in all of his cricket to about 60, a staggering figure.

Ashish Harsolia, Murrumbeena

Few hit the ball as sweetly as the classy right-hander, who has already cracked 68, 81 and 66 this season.

Dane Heverin, Mentone

The Tigers captain has already peeled off two half-centuries and over 200 runs.

Insaf Iqbal, Murrumbeena

Has been impressive since crossing to the Beena from Mordialloc. Bowls tightly and takes wickets.

Jak Jowett, South Caulfield

The former Premier Cricket left-arm paceman has bowled well and collected wickets in every match.

Noah Kelly, Beaumaris

The well-organised left-hander is a pivotal player in the Sharks’ top order. Has scored 69 and 71 this season, showing good skill and intent.

Jonathan Leadbeater, Beaumaris

Leadbeater’s ability with bat and ball will be crucial as the Sharks chase a finals berth. He has a touch of class with the bat and his leg-spinners can do damage as he showed with a bag of 6-50 against St Brigid’s St Louis.

Lewis Mildenhall, South Caulfield

The proven premiership performer is a key to South’s success in the top order and also with his bowling. Has already peeled off 61, 42 and 40 this season.

Jack Plom, Mordialloc

The Englishman has made a steady start to the season and has the ability to make a big impact with ball and bat.

Ben Seabrook, Bentleigh

The UK gun leads the competition run chart with 231 at 77, having blitzed 129 off 107 balls in a losing cause against Mentone in Round 4 and 78 against St Brigid’s St Louis in a one-dayer.

Matt Sonzcak, St Brigid’s St Louis

The left-armer is averaging 5.67 with the ball having taken nine wickets in an excellent start to the season.

Tom Smith of Bonbeach. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

Tom Smith, Bonbeach

The champion all-rounder is such a dangerous player. Scores his run quickly and puts pressure on the bowlers. Already has cracked an 80 and 82 this season, to go with six wickets.

Dave Tantsis-Hall, Mordialloc

The big-hitting left-hander has had solid rather than spectacular start to the season but he could blast the Bloodhounds into title contention.

Matthew Walker, Mentone

Is just about the leading all-rounder in the competition, having taken 11 wickets at 12 and hit 119 runs at 29.

DIVISION 1

Gilbert Conway, Parkdale United

The Parkdale United star has enjoyed a fine start with the ball and has a batting average of 105. Conway has taken 11 wickets so far, highlighted by 5-17 against South Caulfield, and saved his side with the bat last match, scoring 81 not out after walking to the middle at 7-39.

Alexander Cortese, Aspendale

Cortese’s Aspendale is amid a difficult loss to Dingley but his individual performances prior to this round have been terrific. He’s collected eight wickets at a tidy average and has contributed at times with the bat.

Tim Drummond, Parkdale United

Parkdale United’s captain has taken 10 wickets and scored a half-century in his side’s win over Carnegie.

Wade King, McKinnon (all rounder)

King is on a Division 1 tear. He’s scored successive centuries, blasting 154 off 99 balls last match and 102 off 94 on Saturday. King is yet to be dismissed under 46 and has also taken six wickets. Including his Sunday competition, where he struck another ton at the weekend, he has amassed 643 runs this summer.

Wade King. Picture: AAP/ Chris Eastman

Flynn McGaw, Dingley

McGaw has taken 12 wickets including one in each of his five matches this year. He jagged two wickets and a run out in Dingley’s dominant performance on Saturday.

Ryan McLean, Dingley

McLean’s average dropped back below 100 at the weekend after he added 21 to his season tally of 252. He’s already scored an unbeaten ton and two half-centuries.

Tarek Moughanie, Dingley

The Dingoes’ skipper was having a relatively quiet start to the summer before a scintillating century on Saturday. Moughanie carted 100 off 66 balls against Aspendale, striking 12 fours and four sixes. The innings boosted his season tally to 186.

Flynn McGaw batting for Dingley. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Ryan McLean bowling for Dingley. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Ryan O’Brien, Parkdale

O’Brien is in top form. He’s already scored over 200 runs, including three half-centuries, at an average just under 50 opening the batting and leads Parkdale’s wickets.

Tegid Phillips, Hampton

Phillips is leading the charge for Hampton with both bat and ball. His team-high 187 runs is moving nicely with his equal-best eight wickets at an average of 14.

Saumil Patel, Carnegie

Patel showed a glimpse of how important he is to Carnegie in red-ball cricket on Saturday. He took 4-50 off a marathon 29 overs.

Suraj Rao, Carnegie

Rao has got away in each of his four Division 1 innings, scoring two half-centuries for a return of 184 runs. He’s yet to fall for less than 21 in a consistent start to the season.

Suraj Rao. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Jonathan Restarick, South Caulfield

Restarick is South Caulfield’s leading run-scorer with 97. 54 of those came against Hampton.

Pawanjot Singh, McKinnon

Singh has taken a wicket in each of his four matches, including multiple wickets in three. He leads McKinnon’s wicket-getters with nine at an average of 15.

Jack Sullivan, Aspendale

Aspendale’s opening bat leads his side’s run tally with 118. He top scored on Saturday and scored a half-century against Parkdale in round 3.

Reece Taylor, McKinnon

Taylor could play a huge role in McKinnon’s travels this season. If the opening bat can set the foundation for the innings, he will allow his side to set strong totals. Taylor is McKinnon’s second-highest run scorer behind King with 113.