John Craig Shield: 30 of the leading players from the annual Sub-District series
From centuries and bag of wickets, there were plenty of good performances and performers at the Sub-District cricket Under 15 tournament. Here are a few names to track.
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An excellent VSDCA John Craig Shield carnival featuring 32 teams finished on Sunday with the silverware in the hands of Brunswick for the first time after it ended Ormond’s long run of wins.
Here are more than 30 of the leading players from the annual Under 15 series.
Nisith Amarasinghe, Box Hill
Had an encouraging carnival with bat and ball. There were 203 runs at 29 and seven wickets at 17.6 for the Buckley Ridges and Mulgrave junior.
Fletcher Batty, Brighton
Only once did he fail to go past 20, and against Malvern he scored 108 not out of a total of 7-198. Wound up with 296 runs at 42.3. Batty is playing juniors for Brighton District and school cricket for Mentone Grammar.
Lucas Brasher, Croydon
Only teammate Dylan Walker took more wickets than the left-arm wrist spinner, whose 20 came at an average of 10.1. Returns of 5-15 and 5-34 in the first two rounds set him up for a successful series. Brasher is with Carlton in Premier Cricket and at the age of 14 was pushed up to play in a Victorian Super Slam match this season.
Anuj Cheeyandira, Altona
The prospect from Point Cook joined the list of centurymakers with his 103 not out against Yarraville in the final round. His six hits brought him 229 runs at 45.8.
Aditya Chowdhary, Mt Waverley
Earned some attention by cracking 110 not out and sharing an unbroken opening partnership of 204 with Kenul Edirisinghe against Bayswater. He hit 50 against Balwyn and his 210 runs were made at an average of 35.
Ronan Culloty, Bayswater
Started the Shield on the high of an innings of 115 not out against Endeavour Hills. Scored 240 runs at 60.3 and collected six wickets, including 4-20 against Donvale.
Kenul Edirisinghe, Mt Waverley
Led the east group batting aggregate with 274 runs at 45.7, with his best effort – 85 not out – coming against Bayswater. Is getting a good grounding in senior cricket by playing for Mt Waverley’s fourths.
Austin Fardell, Croydon
Had only the one dismissal in scoring 173 runs in the home-and-away rounds and added another 64 from two knocks in the finals.
Reyaan Farooq, Coburg
Announced himself as a young player to track after centuries in Round 2 and 3 and a fighting hand of 64 in the semi-final against Ormond. He bowled his leg-spin well too. Was the Burgers’ leading performer with 356 runs at 44.5 and eight wickets at 10.5. And he was the player of the north group. Is coming through the lower grades with Premier club St Kilda.
Harvey Field, Brighton
The St Brigids St Louis and former Chelsea under-age player was one of 11 batsmen to make a century in the series, hitting 107 in an opening partnership of 227 with Nick Gillard (120no). Came in with 268 runs at 33.5.
Jack Flower, Hoppers Crossing
Flower’s last two innings, 74 and 70no, lifted him into the top bracket of run scorers in the west group. At club level he’s also made some decent scores for Williamstown Imperials this season.
Tynan Forster, Ormond
Another Monder who settled high in the run charts, with his 269 runs made at an average of 38.4. Is from Mitcham Cricket Club and is averaging 50 for his Under 16 team this season.
Lachlan Hay, Williamstown
Was one of the leading players of the carnival, for a side that reached the quarter-finals. Notched four half-centuries in a run aggregate of 339 at 56.5 and also nabbed 10 wickets. In Footscray’s lower grades and the Bulldogs’ Under 17 Dowling Shield squad.
Xavier Holt, Taylors Lakes
Did brilliantly for the Lakers with 347 runs at 69.4, including a matchwinning 111 not out in a run-chase victory over Hoppers Crossing. Strong off his pads and against spin, when he uses his feet well. Bowls useful medium-pace as well. The left-hander took his Shield form into club cricket last Saturday, cracking 94 for the Taylors Lakes fourths.
Tyler Hunter, Ormond
The right-hander had an excellent carnival for the Monders, taking centuries off Elsternwick (107 off 101 balls, with 15 fours and 2 sixes) and Malvern (130 off 117, with 18 fours and 1 six). The Langwarrin junior missed out in the semi and grand finals but finished with 410 runs at 51.3.
Gus Kennedy, Noble Park
The 13-year-old twice batted through the innings for the Parkers, hitting 66 not out against Balwyn and 59 not out against Mt Waverley. VSDCA officials judged him the east group player of the series. The son of top ABC sports journalist Paul Kennedy finished with 214 runs at 42.8, and he’s eligible to play in the series again next season. Made his First XI debut for Carrum this season.
Lincoln Koliba, Caulfield
The Ballarat boy – he’s playing First grade cricket for Brown Hills – was outstanding for the Fielders with 266 runs at 44.3 and 11 wickets at 8.9. He had innings of 83 not out, 83 and 50, and took 5-19 against Oakleigh and 5-40 against Malvern with his pace. Koliba also did well playing representative cricket for the Ballarat association. He’s a young cricketer rising fast.
Riley Leedham, Taylors Lakes
What a carnival for the youngster from Gisborne. He started it with 3-17 off eight overs against Werribee and finished it with 5-25 off nine against Williamstown. All up there were 19 wickets at 7.4. And he was more than handy with the bat, averaging 21. “He’s a right-arm quick, 6’5 at 15 years of age, and he’s raw but exceptionally talented,‘’ Lakes coach Trent Waring said. “He swings the ball up front and he attacked the stumps. He got a large number of his wickets bowled or LBW.’’
Daniel Lombardo, St Bernard’s
Led the north group bowling aggregate with 15 wickets at 9.40 as an opening bowler who regularly struck early. Set out his stall for the series with 4-17 off nine overs against Strathmore.
Aayan Nadeem, Williamstown
Was the west group player of the series after scoring 259 runs at 32.4 and chipping in with five wickets. Like Lachlan Hay he’s gaining a Premier footing with Footscray’s lower grades – he blitzed a Fourth XI century early this season – and in its Dowling Shield Under 17 squad.
Hamish Pearce, Brunswick
Could have had a million dollars on him but still not be able to buy a run early in the series, but he got going with 68 against Preston and went on to score 225 for the premiership team. Bowled tightly too for his nine wickets.
Cooper Rojko, Ormond
Scored 105 runs in three hits in the finals to finish on 313 at an average of 39.12. Top scored for his team in the grand final loss to Brunswick. Looks an organised top-order player.
Carmelo Saliba, Hoppers Crossing
Could be pleased with his series for the Hoppers after totting up 263 runs at 37.6, his highest score of 92 coming in the final round against Werribee when he shared a 166-run opening stand with Jack Flower. In his second season with Premier club Footscray.
Aarav Saxena, Brunswick
Went past the 250-run mark with two important finals half-centuries for the eventual premier. Is already attached to Premier club Essendon.
Aryan J Sharma, Plenty Valley
Lined up for PV in the VSDCA First XI before starting the John Craig Shield series, so it was no surprise he performed so well. He hit 98 against Coburg in Round 1 but made up for the near-miss with 116 against St Bernard’s in Round 4. Put up a north group-best 397 runs at 56.7.
Aryan Sharma, Coburg
Opened the batting for the Burgers, got to double figures in eight of his nine knocks and could count scores of 76, 56 and 55 in a run tally of 261. Is playing junior and senior cricket with Craigieburn.
Fateh Singh, Oakleigh
A leg-spinner playing juniors with the Oaks, Singh grabbed 5-25 and 4-19 in the last two matches to finish with 16 wickets at 10.9. Oakleigh coach Ryan Chapple called him an “unpolished gem’’. “He’s quite raw,’’ he said. “But you can really see the potential in him. He wants to learn and he’s a great young fella.’’
Joshua Thorpe, Yarraville
Thorpe stepped up from junior cricket with Point Cook to be Yarraville’s leading run scorer with 256 at 36.6. His hand of 96 off 97 balls against Hoppers Crossing had the sparkle of 3 sixes and 10 fours.
Jesse Van Rooyen, Ormond
Took his place in a strong Ormond batting line-up and was consistent in scoring three half-centuries and 351 runs at an average of 43.9. From St Brigids St Louis Cricket Club and a Mentone Grammar First XI player.
Dylan Walker, Croydon
Opened the bowling for the Cockies and was a star performer with a competition-best 21 wickets at only 5.3. There were hauls of 4-7 off nine overs against Mt Waverley and 4-15 off nine against Endeavour Hills. Is playing local cricket with Seville, juniors on Saturday mornings and seniors in the afternoons.
Benjamin Wickham, Kew
Headed Kew’s batting with 261 runs at 43.5, boosted by his 99 not out – off 102 balls – against Strathmore. Hit 40 for Kew’s Third XI last Saturday against Werribee.
Lenny Wilton, Moorabbin
The Le Page Park Cricket Club junior was named player of the south group after hitting 369 runs at an average of 52.7. His highlights included a Round 1 century against Port Melbourne – 120 off 127 balls – and knocks of 73 against Caulfield and 68 against Ormond. Slipped in with seven wickets too.
Rory Wright, Ormond
The left-arm paceman led the Ormond attack with 16 wickets, bowling accurately and sometimes without reward.
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