Leader scribes pick their VSDCA Team of the Year for 2019-20
It’s an XI that would be the envy of suburban cricket competitions across Australia. So who makes up Leader’s team of the season? Paul Amy and Ben Higgins make their picks.
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There were many contenders.
But in the end there were only 12 places for the Leader VSDCA team of the year.
It’s powerful in batting, strong in pace and spin bowling, and features some of the greats of Sub-District cricket.
The captain? Brighton champion Ricky Damiano will lead them out after his run-filled summer.
Here’s the 12 we settled on, in batting order …
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RICKY DAMIANO (Brighton – 716 runs @ 59.67) (Capt, WK)
The elegant right-hander topped the VSDCA runs list and brought attention to his club and competition as he peeled off three consecutive centuries – 144 against Coburg, 112 against Ormond and 101 against Brunswick. Damiano added a fourth ton after Christmas, 144 against Plenty Valley. His season tally broke a club record that had stood down 101 years and with 18 centuries he’s now only one behind Val Holten’s VSDCA high mark. One of the finest wicketkeepers in the game and takes the gloves in the Team of the Year. Since he’s captaining Brighton he can captain our team too.
GRAEME RUMMANS (Caulfield – 708 @ 78.67)
The great left-hander won three Ryder Medals in Premier Cricket, and he’s among the favourites for this season’s VSDCA Val Holten Medal after cracking 708 runs at 78.5 from the opening slot. He counted three centuries in his bumper aggregate – 110 against Ivanhoe, 116 against Elsternwick and 125 not out against Ormond. There were also four half-centuries for the former St Kilda champion, and he even slipped in with 15 wickets. Picks himself as an opener.
BRENT McMINN (Williamstown – 642 runs @ 64.20)
A run-machine at No. 3 for the Seagulls since arriving from Premier outfit Essendon. After arguably a career worst season in 2018-19, McMinn has bounced back with a career-best season, knocking up 642 runs at an average of 64.2. The Williamstown captain-coach kicked off the season in style posting 41, 51, 102 and 69 in his opening four matches and came home like a steam train with 67, 89 and 53 to guide his team to the East-West group minor premiership. His impact with the ball also can’t be underestimated after snaring 15 wickets in his 13 games.
LIAM MURPHY (Brunswick – 578 runs @ 72.25)
Murphy’s 578 runs is the second best return of his Subbies career, behind the 729 he plundered for Balwyn in 2014-15. While the Wicks endured a heartbreaking finals miss, Murphy will look back fondly on a season where he delivered two matchwinning unbeaten centuries – against Malvern and Kew – and an average of 72 as a result. Such was the Brunswick captain-coach’s consistency, a duck against Moorabbin in Round 3 was the only time he failed to reach double figures and he surpassed 30 in all but two other matches.
KASUN ADIKARI (Ivanhoe – 572 runs @ 57.20)
The Sri Lankan star backed up his VSDCA-leading 714 runs last season with 572 more in 2019-20, good enough for fifth among all First XI batsmen. The No. 3 had a purple patch between rounds 4-6, scoring 64, 70 and 67, before adding another 68 in the VSDCA’s mid-week T20 competition. An unbeaten 83 then proved too much for Moorabbin in Round 9. However, Adikari saved his best for last with a matchwinning century ensuring the Saints finished their campaign on a high with victory against rivals Preston. Throw in 16 wickets at 22.69 and he’s a dual threat.
ISI PERERA (Noble Park – 535 runs @ 44.58, 27 wickets @ 12.74)
Marasinghe Perera is a champion of Sub-District cricket and he has a slew of awards to prove it, including six club championships, premiership medals and a Val Holten Medal. After the final game of the home-and-away season he was named in Noble Park’s 2010-2020 Team of the Decade. Perera’s forceful left-hand batting brought him 535 runs at 44.6 and his tossed-up, teasing, turning spin, 27 wickets at 12.7. He’ll give the Holten Medal a mighty shake.
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JAMES GRUBB (Altona – 505 runs @ 56.11, 22 wickets @ 17.36)
Returning to his junior club after three seasons at Premier outfit Footscray, Grubb produced a simply outstanding campaign with bat and ball to lead the A’s to a third-placed finish. One of only two players to feature in the top-10 run-scorers and wicket-takers in the East-West group, along with Noble Park’s Marasinghe Perera. The all-rounder scored his maiden Subbies century in the Round 7 win over Hoppers Crossing. With the ball, Grubb’s 22 scalps surpassed his previous best of 21 in 14-15 as he took at least one wicket in all but two matches.
KARL CARVER (Moorabbin – 432 runs @ 48.00, 23 wickets @ 17.70)
The Binners’ overseas player has been a reliable performer with bat and ball, hitting 432 runs and capturing 23 wickets with his left-arm spin. The Yorkshire product joined Moorabbin last season and has played an important part in the club’s stirring rise to VSDCA finals for the first time since 1993-94. If the Binners are to upset Caulfield in their sudden-death final, Carver will need to put his imprimatur on the match.
ADAM YATES (Altona – 341 runs @ 28.42, 27 wickets @ 16.56)
While Yates’ run-scoring output dropped from last season, his bowling more than made up for it. After plundering 561 runs in 2018-19, the all-rounder still managed a respectable 341 runs this season. However, his 27 wickets at 16.56 was a big increase on the 18 last season and saw him finish in the top-10 First XI wicket-takers across the entire VSDCA. Yates produced one of the finest individual performances of the season when Altona knocked off Williamstown in Round 10, grabbing 4-32 – including the key wicket of Brent McMinn – before an unbeaten century guided the A’s home by five wickets.
MICHAEL SPLATT (Oakleigh – 31 wickets @ 11.39)
The Oaks stalwart has had another fine season, harvesting a competition-high 31 wickets with his right-arm pace in a formidable new-ball pairing with Alex Jones. He flattened Coburg with 6-47 off 19.1 overs in Round 10, relishing a two-day outing in a season packed with 45-over affairs due to wet weather. Hit 202 runs at 20.2 too. Splatt going to the crease in the late overs signals clear and present danger to tiring attacks.
ALEX JONES (Oakleigh – 28 wickets @ 11.21)
With his pace, movement and ability to bowl long spells, the Oaks left-armer has been one of the premier Subbies fast bowlers for some years and is showing no signs of slipping in his standards. Took 28 wickets and operated with an economy rate of 2.2. He’ll be a key figure in the finals as the Oaks set out to defend their premiership.
12TH MAN
LUKE SAULTRY (Bayswater – 20 wickets @ 15.80)
Just 20 years old, Saultry made a strong impression in his second full season of First XI cricket. The young paceman’s 20 wickets is a Subbies career best as he picked up his maiden five-wicket (5-25) haul in the Waters’ Round 8 loss to Mt Waverley before going one better in the Round 10 victory against Melton with 6-25. However, Saultry’s biggest achievement this season was arguably captaining the VSDCA under-21s in a three-day match against the Crusaders.