Leader’s cricket scribes select the best XI from the VSDCA 2021-22 season
After another fascinating VSDCA season, Leader’s cricket scribes have come together to select the top performers in our Team of the Year.
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It’s business time in the VSDCA and that means one thing … Leader’s Team of the Year.
Cricket scribes Paul Amy, Ben Higgins, Simon McEvoy and Dan Cencic have come together to select the best XI of season 2021-22.
Coburg’s return to finals has been rewarded with a pair of players selected together with Oakleigh and Ormond.
However, North-East group minor premier Kew and Fewster Cup club champion Werribee don’t feature at all.
Check out our pick of the season’s best performers with bat and ball.
1. AARON SHELLIE (Coburg)
A career season for the Coburg captain-coach could have him in Holten Medal contention. Shellie topped the North-East group run-scorers charts with 636 runs at an average of 48.92. Fourth overall in Subbies. It’s a career-best for the dashing opener, the best tally by a Coburg batsman since 1995-96 and the fifth best in club history. His three centuries – against Mt Waverley, Brunswick and Bayswater – is also a personal best. And it wasn’t just with the bat he reached new heights. Shellie took 25 wickets at 13.24 – good enough for sixth in the competition, the second best haul of his career behind the 33 taken in 2011-12 before heading off to Premier Cricket.
2. AARON AYRE (Coburg)
Perhaps didn’t score the runs of rival openers Adam Bull and Daniel Forbes but has to walk out with his great mate and Coburg teammate Aaron Shellie. Ayre’s first season in the VSDCA couldn’t have gone much better. The second leading run-scorer in the North-East group (behind Shellie) and the third leading wicket-taker. A remarkable achievement. Ayre’s bowling was as much a surprise to his teammates as it apparently was to his hapless victims. Finished with 28 scalps at an average of 16.04 with his spin, taking at least one wicket in 12 of 14 appearances. An obvious career-best for the former state wicketkeeper. An understatement to say he was pretty handy with the bat as well, knocking up 596 runs at 42.57 with six half-centuries.
3. TOM RICKARBY (Malvern)
Woah. No batsman has made more runs in the VSDCA this season than the former Camberwell Magpie. He’s missed out in his past two knocks, but he’s still up to 711 at an average of 59.25, including 141 not out against Hoppers Crossing and scores of 93, 75, 69, 68 and 63. It’s a golden summer, but where does it put him in Malvern’s record books? He comes in eighth – 803 is the highest mark, by the legendary Sub-District batsman Val Holten in 1959-60 – and in between Holten and “Rickars’’ are players of the calibre of Ian Frazer, David Broad, Shawn Craig and Mike Jones. A big score from Rickarby on Saturday would not only give him a dart at the Malvern aggregate, it would give the Roosters’ great rival Caulfield something to think about in the qualifying final.
4. ADAM BULL (Ormond)
What a season the former Prahran opener has had in Subbies, leading the way for Ormond with the bat with 694 runs at an average of 53.38. The right-hander has knocked some huge scores this campaign, with a top performance of 139 not out against Hoppers Crossing, and his earlier effort of 126 not out against Port Melbourne not far behind. On top of his two unbeaten tons, the veteran has thrashed out five half-centuries in 15 matches.
5. RYAN PEARSON (Oakleigh)
Has been a key contributor with bat and ball for the Oaks this season. He’s peeled off six half-centuries and 529 runs, at 40.69. On only two occasions has he not made double figures and he’s been a reliable presence at the top of the order since moving up from No.3 after Christmas. His handy left-arm slowies have netted 23 wickets, at 14.43 apiece – including a haul of 3-10 off 7.3 overs in Oakleigh’s best win of the season over Caulfield in Round 7. Pearson is in his second season at Oakleigh since crossing from Plenty Valley, which he captained to a premiership.
6. JANAKA LIYANBADALGE (Noble Park)
The former Sri Lankan first-class cricketer has cranked it with bat and ball this season, driving 483 runs at an average of 34.50 – including a sizzling 114 against Balwyn in Round 8, splitting time between the top and upper middle orders. The 40-year-old also claimed 33 wickets at an average of 11.97, highlighted by 5-15 against a finals-bound Coburg – no mean feat. Bagged three or more wickets on eight occasions this season.
7. JACOB THORNE (Caulfield) (C)
Plenty of runs, a stack of wickets ….wait, the Caulfield captain might even be able to win a fifth Val Holten Medal. Thorne has performed consistently and often brilliantly in each of his seven seasons in Subbies and 2021-22 has been particularly bountiful for him with the ball. He nabbed 39 wickets at 10.2, taking at least three wickets on nine occasions. His 430 runs came at an average of 47.8 and included three unbeaten half-centuries. Since he’s captained the Fielders to so much success, he can captain this team too.
8. BRENTON HODGES (Williamstown) (WK)
The Williamstown club legend played his 300th game in January and continues to perform at a high level. The gifted gloveman rarely lets a bye through and gobbles up nicks and stumpings with relish. He took 22 dismissals this season and has over 450 in his career. Hodges was both reliable and dynamic with the bat this season, scoring 383, at 38.30, including a brilliant 54 not out (four sixes) to propel the Seagulls to their first win this season and 83 not out (opening) in their win over Port Melbourne.
9. ALEX JONES (Oakleigh)
The Oakleigh stalwart gets the nod to lead the attack with his accurate left-arm pace. Jones has had better seasons, sure, but 26 wickets at 15 is nothing to sniff at and he operated with an economy of rate of 3.1. If the Oaks are to upset Werribee in the qualifying final this Saturday, Jones will have to make some big early strikes. And he’s done it plenty of times in finals.
10. KYLE ADAMS (St Bernard’s)
The first-year Snowdogs captain-coach delivered in spades for his new club. Adams topped the North-East group wicket-takers list with a career-best 36 scalps at an elite average of 11.03. Credited his teammates Aaron Smillie and Luke Davis for making his job easier but having fully recovered from a shoulder reconstruction in 2020, showed he is one of the elite paceman in the competition. Finished second overall in Subbies behind Jacob Thorne’s 39 wickets. A quirky stat – Arosh Janoda was St Bernard’s last group leading wicket-taker in 2017-18 and also finished second overall to Thorne. Led St Bernard’s back to finals in his first season.
11. NICK OATEN (Ormond)
Finished the season atop the wicket count for the Monders’ First XI – and by some way – 11 clear of the next best. Hauled in 32 at an average of 14.03, highlighted by a season-best of 5-29 against Melton in Round 3. Took three or more wickets in seven of his 13 matches, playing an integral role in his side’s finals push.
12. GEORGE SAKKAS (Taylors Lakes)
Started the season in the Seconds but grabbed his chance to be not only the Lakers leading wicket-taker but in the top five in the league, with 25 scalps, at 14.72 apiece. He took at least two wickets on nine occasions, including a career-best of 5-39 against Altona in Round 14. And Sakkas did his bit with the bat, with several handy contributions down the order.
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