Junior cricket: Under 16 Male Youth Premier League stars shine

Victoria’s premier junior cricket competition is off to a blazing start with a young gun scoring a superb century. See who’s put their name up in lights.

Jack Czosnek hit a superb century in the opening round of the Youth Premier League. Picture: Supplied

The cream has quickly risen to the top in the Under 16 Male Youth Premier League.

The first of seven rounds hit off last Sunday and games will continue each weekend over the next month.

The YPL series helps Cricket Victoria to identify prospects for the male emerging player squads.

Round 1 highlights included:

*Exciting prospect Jack Czosnek quickly put his stamp on the competition with a top-drawer century for Breakers in their win over Gippsland Pride at Casey Fields. Czosnek, a Le Page Cricket Club product, peeled off 121 not out off 129 balls (with 10 fours and 2 sixes) to escort Breakers to 9-261 off their 50 overs. Pride, in reply, was dismissed for 144. Czosnek is also playing Premier Cricket at Richmond this season and made 45 in the Tigers’ thirds last month.

*An eye-popping partnership powered the Eagles to a resounding victory over Sharks at Butler Oval, Frankston. Chasing 161, Eagles openers Archie Flynn and Lachlan Quinn wiped off the target themselves, the Flynn-Quinn union taking the Eagles to 0-164. Flynn was 95 not out off 101 balls (9 fours) and Quinn 62 not out off 95 balls (3 fours).

*Rockets No. 5 Jordan Monahan, who plays in First XI at Queenscliff, blasted 3 sixes and 6 fours on his way to 91 off 114 balls in a total of 9-266, helping his side beat Wizards.

Jordan Monahan.

*Plenty Valley First XI batter Aryan Sharma had a brilliant game for Falcons in their win over Spirit, smacking an unbeaten 86 off 88 balls, with 9 boundaries, and then taking 2-18. James Shadbolt also impressed, snaring 4-16.

*A 114-run partnership between Ben Wickham (77) and Nikki du Toit (60) set up Emus’ win over Knights. Hunter Hall had a spectacular game for the Knights, taking 4-35 off 10 overs and then top-scoring with 70 off 110 balls.

*Impressive batting by Hukam Karir (67 with 9 fours) and Shehzad Singh (64no, with 2 fours, 3 sixes) carried Pioneers to victory over Scorpions at Casey Fields.

*Rivers overcame a batting collapse to beat Suns at Swan Hill Showgrounds. Chasing 161 for victory, Rivers slumped to 5-47 before Kyen Burrill-Grinton (44) and Xavier Grant (40) led a rebuild...Rivers winning nine wickets down with 15 balls to spare. Earlier, Suns opener Lewis Dichiera batted beautifully to make 74.

*Highlanders young gun Hamish Mullavey-Clark took 4-14 to rip through the Waves batting line-up, setting up victory. Lachlan Hay, a day after making 82 in Footscray’s thirds, capped a splendid weekend with 79 not out off 87 balls, with 9 fours, to steer Highlanders home.

YPL, Round 1:

BEST BATTING PERFORMANCES

121* - Jack Czosnek, Breakers

95* - Archie Flynn, Eagles

91 - Jordan Monahan, Wizards

86* - Aryan Sharma, Falcons

79* - Lachlan Hay, Highlanders

77 - Benjamin Wickham, Emus

74 - Lewis Dichiera, Suns

70 - Hunter Hall, Knights

67 - Hukam Karir, Pioneers

64* - Shehzad Singh, Pioneers

BEST BOWLING PERFORMANCES

4-14 - Hamish Mullavey-Clark, Highlanders

4-16 - James Shadbolt, Falcons

4-30 - Simarjit Pawar, Pioneers

4-35 - Hunter Hall, Knights

4-40 - Thomas Coughlan, Wizards

3-11 - Taj Don, Rockets

3-17 - Taj Hill, Suns

3-24 - Zane Attard, Highlanders

3-39 - Benjamin Allsop, Pride

3-40 - Tanush Nandini, Pioneers