Leader experts pick their Premier Women’s Team of the Season 2021-22

Victoria’s top-flight women’s competition boasts some of the finest talents in Australia and we tried to narrow them down to a best XI of the season.

Victorian Premier Cricket Women's Team of the Year.

Talk about a ton of talent.

There was a host of nominations but we could pick only 12 in Leader’s Premier Women’s Team of the Year.

The runs and wickets flowed like water for the competition’s best and we’ve brought them together in a star-packed line-up.

The likes of Bhavisha Devchand and Amy Vine continued their fine careers while some of the best young talents in Victoria, Isabel White and Hasrat Gill proved their potential.

Paul Amy and Ben Higgins put their heads together and this is what we’ve come up with.

Bhavisha Devchand in action for Ringwood. Picture: Valeriu Campan

1. BHAVISHA DEVCHAND (Ringwood)

The Rams right-hander and captain made a slow start to the season, going into the Christmas break with only 83 runs from six hands. But since January she’s been in fabulous form, peeling off scores of 116, 83, 21, 3, 54, 102 not out, 77 and 32, giving her a competition-high 557 at 46.42. She’s also slipped in with 17 wickets at 19.7, helping Ringwood to its first finals series in women’s Premier Cricket. She’s an outstanding player and leader.

2. SOPHIE REID (Carlton)

Reid jumped into headlines last month when the Blues called her up to play in their men’s Third XI team (some at the club wish she would also get a call-up to the Victorian team!). Reid crossed to Carlton from Plenty Valley ahead of 2021-22 and has had a fine season, with the bat and the wicketkeeping gloves, fired by a century (110) against Prahran in Round 3. She’s now up to 481 runs at 40.1 and more than 20 dismissals behind the stumps. The Blues will need more excellence from her as they prepare for their maiden First XI finals series.

3. AMY VINE (Melbourne)

Vine is one of the major reasons the Demons finished as runaway minor premiers. She’s batted for bang on 1000 minutes, stacking up 551 runs at an average of 91.8. There was a century – 116 not out – in Round 3 against Box Hill and also four scores beyond 70, including a cool 73 not out to steer her team past Dandenong in the final round.

Amy Vine in action for Victoria.

4. UNA RAYMOND-HOEY (Ringwood)

Like teammate Bhavisha Devchand, the former Irish international looks ticketed for a Team of the Season gong after a strong campaign with the Rams. She hasn’t made a century but she has made 493 runs at 44.8, with five 50s. And her experience was to the fore last Sunday when she hit 41 to set up her team for a run-chase, bonus-point win that lifted it to third on the ladder. Raymond-Hoey has been an excellent addition to the club since joining it in 2019-20.

5. CAILIN GREEN (Carlton)

Mark down the young Blue from Bendigo as one of the most improved players in Victorian Premier Cricket. She’s opened the batting and scored 430 runs at 39.1, with three half-centuries, and chipped in with 17 wickets, including a bag of five against Prahran in Round 13. Green has been steadily rising through the ranks since starting out with Bendigo Cricket Club’s under-12s six years ago. Youth Premier League selection with the Northern Rivers led to her landing with the Blues in 2019-20. And last season she was picked in the Cricket Victoria Under-19 female emerging performance squad.

6. KIM GARTH (Dandenong)

Despite playing just the nine games Garth still featured in the top-20 run-scorers and wicket-takers. The former Irish international and current Melbourne Stars gun knocked up 295 runs (12th overall) at an average of 36.88, while also taking 15 scalps (16th overall). Garth’s average of 9.07 with the ball was the second best among the top 50 wicket-takers behind only Sam Bates. Couldn’t have done much more to get Dandenong into finals, hitting 73 and taking 3-13 in a heart-breaking loss to Melbourne in the final game.

Box Hill young gun Isabel White.

7. ISABEL WHITE (Box Hill)

What a season for the Mustang, who turned 17 on Tuesday. No one took more wickets than the little offie, with her 25 scalps coming at an average of 14.9. She also contributed 113 runs and gave one of the highlights of the under-18 series when she cracked 141 not out against Ringwood. Aside from Premier Cricket, “Isa’’ also turns out with Box Hill’s all-girls team in under-16s on Friday night.

8. ELLA HAYWARD (Melbourne)

The only player in the competition to rate top-10 in runs and wickets. Hayward must surely be in with a shout of claiming the Una Paisley Medal as the best player in the Premier Women’s, despite playing 11 games. The Melbourne gun claimed 21 wickets (5th overall) at an elite average of 10.14 and hit 327 runs (9th overall) at a 36.33 clip with three half-centuries. Crying out for more opportunity at state level.

9. SAM BATES (Essendon Maribyrnong Park)

A brilliant debut season at Aberfeldie Park saw Bates rack up wickets at will. In just nine games, the Victoria and Sydney Thunder gun claimed 20 scalps – good enough for sixth overall – at a competition-best 7.30 average. Hit her stride after Christmas, taking three wickets in five consecutive matches as Essendon Maribyrnong Park surged to within a whisker of finals. Can hold a bat as well, hitting 152 runs at 21 with a high score of 62.

Melbourne young gun Hasrat Gill.

10. HASRAT GILL (Melbourne)

Still only 16 and mesmerising rival batters with her leg-spin. Gill hit the headlines this season when she claimed a hat-trick in Melbourne’s Round 10 win over Plenty Valley but was already picking up plenty of wickets. Finished the home-and-away season with a swag of 23 scalps, second most in the competition behind only fellow young gun Isabel White, at a 11.61 clip. Added another 11 wickets in five Premier Under-18 matches at 8.00 a piece.

11. MADDIE ALBERS (Carlton)

The No.1 pace bowler in Premier Women’s this season, Albers finished her home-and-away season with 23 scalps, equal second in the competition. After 12 wickets in 2020-21, the Carlton spearhead exploded this season taking 11 wickets before Christmas and earning selection in a Victorian Premier Cricket XI match against the state squad. The Seymour native claimed career-best figures of 4-22 in the Round 12 win over Plenty Valley as Carlton locked in a finals appearance.

PREMIER: RAMS, BLUES INTO FINALS FOR FIRST TIME

12. ZOE GRIFFITHS (Box Hill)

Stiff not to earn a spot in the starting XI after another cracking season for Box Hill. Griffiths was critical to the Hawks’ making finals with bat and ball. The star all-rounder knocked up 372 runs at 46.50 – with four half-centuries – and took 17 wickets at 17.35 to rank seventh and 11th respectively. Don’t be surprised if she’s around the mark come Una Paisley Medal night, just to put a bit of egg on these selectors’ faces.