Premier Cricket: The most improved players in Victoria’s top cricket competition
Some started the season outside their club’s First XI. Others have blossomed with greater opportunity. Here’s our definitive list of the most-improved players in Premier Cricket.
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Few things delight a coach like watching a player progress through the grades and capitalising on their First XI opportunities.
The selection battle is hardly fiercer than at Premier Cricket clubs, where rising stars compete with seasoned players for 11 spots each week.
Players such as Sam Elliott (Fitzroy Doncaster), Jake Fraser-McGurk (Monash Tigers) and Eddy O’Sullivan (Carlton) have emerged as stars of the future, while Sunam Gautam (Greenvale Kangaroos) and Mark Phelan (Northcote) are more experienced players who have lifted their games to another level.
Monash Tigers
The Tigers gloveman, who has spent time with the Netherlands squad, has 551 runs at 30.6 and 26 dismissals for the summer. Coach Shannon Young has effusive in his praise for Edwards, who was one of the leading scorers in the Stars Conference during the Vic Super Slam. “(He) has worked really hard and turned into a dynamic white-ball player,” Young said. “Especially against spin, where he can sweep traditionally and new age. Gloves were always good but now very dependable.”
“(Jake) Fraser-McGurk has improved but the kid’s a freak and will obviously improve year on year as he plays more.” The quote from Young sums up how most in the pathway system feel about one of the rising stars of Victorian cricket. Fraser-McGurk has already played Futures League and scored more than 400 runs this season.
Opening batsman Vadlja announced himself with a record-setting 180 on debut, a sign of the obvious potential those at Central Reserve had watched rising through the ranks. He has scores of 56 and 45 not out since. “(Campbell) Vadlja has improved out of sight in the three years he’s been with us,” Young said.
Prahran
Billington underlined his potential with a knock of 107 before Christmas against Northcote and also made 83 against a formidable Fitzroy-Doncaster attack in Round 13. True Blues cricket operations manager Bryce McGain said Billington had “broken into Premier ranks and (was) performing consistently.”
A player McGain rates as “a genuine athlete”. The former Test tweaker says Bangs is a “left-hand all-rounder who bowls fast swing” and is a clean hitter. “Exploded through the Super Slam matches & has continued (his) solid form in Premier Cricket.”
Essendon
The No. 3 batsman spent the first seven rounds of 2018-19 in the seconds but has capitalised on his promotion since. A steady influence in a team packed with power hitters, Galeotti has 223 runs at 74.7 since being elevated into the First XI and has been involved in several key partnerships with the likes of Aaron Ayre, James Seymour and Michael Hill.
“Willing just to bat ugly and no matter what the conditions are he won’t change his game” — Aaron Ayre on Justin Galeotti.
Ringwood
One of the most promising fast-bowling talents in Victorian cricket, Evans has 10 wickets despite limited appearances for Ringwood this summer. His best match came against Kingston Hawthorn when he took 4-28 from 14 overs. Rams skipper Ian Holland said Evans was a “super talent and an exciting prospect for Victorian and Australian cricket”. “He prepares as a professional and has been super impressive for Ringwood every time he plays,” Holland said.
A promising wicketkeeper-batsman, Holland said Hartill had been “exceptional with the gloves” and had played “a couple of really mature innings this season.” Knocks of 44 not out against Footscray and 69 against Fitzroy Doncaster showed why Ringwood has him earmarked as a future star.
Northcote
A player whose form has put him on the radar of Victoria’s Futures League selectors, top-order batsman Phelan has three big hundreds this summer. Coach Steve Taylor said the right-hander, who has 668 First XI runs, had “taken his game to the next level this season and gives our batting line-up stability every week.” “Mark’s commitment to his practice and process routines are second to none. He sets a great standard and is an example of hard work paying off,” Taylor said.
Fitzroy Doncaster
The son of former Test opener Matthew Elliot has shrugged off injury issues which have plagued him in recent years to spearhead Fitzroy Doncaster’s bowling attack. Skipper Ejaaz Alavi said Elliott “bowls with good pace” and had been “very handy with the bat”. His statistics reflect the Lions’ skipper’s view. Elliott has 21 wickets and 189 runs.
Korkolis is one of the great development stories at Schramms Reserve. It was only three summers ago he was playing in the Fourth XI. Now he’s batting in the top-order for the Lions’ firsts and has 349 runs at 39, including a maiden hundred against Prahran in Round 13.
“A real breakout season for Noah who has made the No. 3 position his own this year,” Alavi said.
Melbourne Uni
Steven Reid
With 42 wickets, including Twenty20 matches, Reid has marked himself as one of the most dominant Premier bowlers of the summer. While he has been on the scene for several years, Students coach Antony Keely rates the current season as Reid’s best. “He’s gone to another level,” Keely said. “He’s a heart and soul bowler who can intimidate with pace and bounce but now also possess the skills to take wickets in all formats.”
Ben Rolfs
Young spinner Rolfs is a player who is highly thought of at Melbourne Uni and Keely said he “his ability to impact games in all three facets is remarkable.” He has 340 runs and 22 wickets for the summer, peeling off a maiden ton in the seconds against Frankston Peninsula in Round 6. His haul of 4-59 in the First XI against Fitzroy Doncaster was a sign of what’s to come.
Greenvale Roos
The spin-bowling all-rounder has turned promise into performances during his fifth season with Greenvale, amassing 638 runs and taking 35 wickets. His form in the Vic Super Slam had the Roos calling for Big Bash League clubs to take notice. “Sunny wanted to score 600 runs this season and take 30 wickets,” director of cricket Peter Di Venuto said.
“His post Christmas return … highlights his impressive start to the year and the opportunity he still has to improve.” Gautam’s best season with the Roos had previously yielded 387 runs.
Carlton
Eddy O’Sullivan
‘He’s fast becoming one of the premier bowlers of the competition.’ That’s the view from Carlton skipper Evan Gulbis, who has trusted O’Sullivan with bowling at important times this season in all forms. O’Sullivan has 36 wickets for the campaign, 11 of which came during Carlton’s progression to the Vic Super Slam final. “Eddy’s biggest improvement has come with the red ball,” Gulbis said. “I feel like other players are more known and probably haven’t improved as much as him.”
Casey-South Melbourne
In his fifth season of Premier Cricket and still only 22, Pollock is an exciting wicketkeeper-batsman. This season he has scored 362 runs, at 30, batting at No. 7, including 104 against Melbourne Uni in Round 12, when the side was in trouble. Swans coach Nick Jewell said Pollock was “only young, but technically very good with the gloves and his batting is very good.”
Frankston Peninsula
Heat coach Keith Jansz found it hard to split Symons and Boland. Symons has 300 runs and 17 wickets this season, while Boland has 13 wickets and 112 runs batting in the lower-order. “Both are dynamic and go about their preparation in a very professional manner and can positively impact a game with either bat or ball. Unfortunately their stats are probably not going to reflect their true worth,” Jansz said.
Geelong
Jackson only made his First XI debut against Northcote in Round 9, yet already has two hundreds to his name. His knock of 136 against Ringwood belied his inexperience as he batted the Cats into a position where they nearly salvaged a result. Jackson was playing thirds at the end of last season after a lean run with the bat but know looks one of the best young batting prospects in Premier Cricket.
“It’s great to see Tommy come in and do what he’s done in the first couple of games — to get 250 runs in his first four matches is pretty amazing really.” — Cats coach Liam Buchanan
Camberwell Magpies
Fresh off his maiden Premier century, Magpies coach Brad Loveluck heaped praise on the diligence and development of batsman Ben Rowles. Batting in a key role at the top of the order, Rowles plundered 122 against Melbourne to back up a knock of 77 from Round 13 against Melbourne Uni. It took a brilliant 156 in the Second XI for Rowles to receive a recall to the Camberwell firsts but he has hardly put a foot wrong since. “He has worked incredibly hard on his game and is now getting some great reward for his efforts,” Loveluck said.
Melbourne
Charles Lill
Lill was playing Third XI at the start of the season but will finish the campaign as a pillar at the top of the order for the Demons firsts. He made a Third XI century in Round 2, seconds ton in Round 7 and grasped his chance in the First XI with 89 against Essendon in Round 12. He’s followed that innings with scores of 33 against Carlton and 61 against Camberwell Magpies.
“He dominates in the nets and in the past few weeks he’s been able to take that out into the middle. The sky’s the limit for him.” — Demons skipper Matthew Brown
St Kilda
Manning finished the 2017-18 season with an average just above 20 in the First XI and was dropped late in the campaign. But he shrugged off a indifferent season with 120 not out in Round 2 against Geelong. He’s also hit triple figures in games against Northcote and Monash Tigers and is likely to finish as one of the top-10 batsmen in Premier Cricket.
“Reward for a lot of effort in the pre-season, when he worked his butt off” — Saints skipper Michael Beer.
Kingston Hawthorn
Jack Fowler
It has been a tough summer for the Hawks, but Fowler’s form in the second half of the year has given them reason for optimism. He joined the club from Dromana this summer and has 430 runs and 13 wickets for the campaign. That comes close to the runs tally he compiled last season in the MPCA. He’s scored consecutive half-centuries against Ringwood and St Kilda in recent games.
Footscray
Siddhesh Dixit and Dylan Brasher rate as honourable mentions from a young Footscray side, but Kight is a top prospect for the Dogs. The younger brother of skipper Dylan has almost a full season of Premier firsts under his belt and displayed his talent when he peeled off 134 not out with his team on the ropes against St Kilda. He’s had a few lean games since, but that’s expected of most developing batsmen. “It’s been great that young Jordan Kight is now getting a regular game in the ones,” coach Stan Nell said.
Dandenong
Is it possible Nanopoulos is getting better with age? He’s ticked past 200 games for the Panthers but is enjoying a career-best season with the bat and has been Dandenong’s leading bowler. With 606 runs, including Twenty20, and 33 wickets, you could mount a strong case Nanopoulos is in the form is his career.
“You play your best cricket when you’re enjoying it. If you’re over-thinking things you tend to get stuck.” — James Nanopoulos
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Every in and out across Victorian Premier Cricket
From interstate stars to seasoned veterans, pen is hitting paper everywhere across Victorian Premier Cricket. Keep up to date with each move through our signing tracker.