Oliver Peake breaks Subbies’ John Craig Shield run record

As Plenty Valley defeated Malvern in the semi-finals the 14-year-old from Geelong took his tally to 535 at an average of 107.

Oliver Peake after Plenty Valley’s semi-final victory over Malvern.

Oliver Peake has reached the peak of run scoring in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association’s Under 15 John Craig Shield.

The 14-year-old’s innings of 88 for Plenty Valley in today’s semi-final against Malvern took his run aggregate for the carnival to a record 535 at an average of 107.

It passed the previous best of 457 from Ormond’s Rory Freeman.

“Have I? That’s pretty cool I guess,’’ Peake, the son of former Victorian batsman Clinton Peake, said when told he had set a new mark.

Peake’s scores of 37, 87no, 87, 114, 106no, 16 and 88 have helped the young Bats into Sunday’s final against Ormond.

Peake is from Geelong but is playing for Plenty Valley alongside his Victorian Under 12 teammate Braydon O’Connor, the team captain.

“I’m really good mates with Braydon and he asked me if I would like to come down and I said yeah because there wasn’t much rep cricket stuff going on in Geelong,’’ he said.

“It’s been pretty good. It’s awesome to play with the boys and they’ve included me really well.

“It’s good to play on some good wickets and good grounds.’’

Peake is a left-hand batsman, like his father, and also bowls tidy off-spin.

PV coach Gary Bell called him an outstanding prospect.

“What I will say is, he’s a brilliant young cricketer but he’s an even better person, a very mature young man, very inclusive of the whole team, a very team-orientated player,’’ he said.

“As for his cricket, he’s got a lot of shots. His knowledge of the game is outstanding. If we bowl first he’ll read the pitch while we’re out there fielding and he’ll bat accordingly.

“And I don’t think I’ve seen a better fieldsman at junior level. He’s a freak in the field. But I want to emphasise that bit about him being a quality kid. So humble. Legend of a kid.’’

Bell said Plenty Valley had another prolific batsman in Aryan Sharman, who has made 401 runs in the series, with four half-centuries.

Sharman is playing for the Bats’ Second XI this season and was promoted for a First XI debut.

“If we didn’t have Ollie Peaker, I think he would be getting a lot of plaudits,’’ Bell said.

“Very good cricketer.’’

The Bats were too strong for Malvern, scoring 3-191 off their 40 overs and holding the Roosters to 8-112.

Opening bowler Harry Smith – one of the finds of the carnival, according to Bell – captured 3-5 off five overs.

In the other semi-final, the unbeaten Ormond overcame spirited opposition from Coburg at EE Gunn Reserve to advance to the final.

The Monders were 2-0 and then 4-57 as they chased 127, but Harry Wallace (29no) and captain Christian Howe (42no) turned a struggle into a stroll.

Howe faced only 47 balls and put away 5 fours and 1 six.

The Mentone Grammar student was player of the match, his left-arm fast bowling bringing him 3-21 off eight overs. He’s another bright prospect.

Opening bowlers Akshith Sriram and Michael Cross both struck early for the Burgers, making ducks of Charlie Costa and Mitchell Kirkwood-Scott, but ultimately Ormond’s batting depth was on show.

Sriram (41) and Lucas Cavigan (37) had put on 64 for the third wicket for Coburg before Sriram was brilliantly stumped by Kirkwood-Smith off Sam Gove.

Gove collected 3-29 off 6.3 overs.

The final will be played at Elsternwick Park.