RDCA 2020-21: Ryan Smith wins second consecutive Bill Dean Medal

Another season, another top honour for Bulldog Ryan Smith, claiming the RDCA’s highest individual accolade for a second consecutive year.

Ryan Smith sends one down for the Dogs. Picture: Field of View Sports Photography

Another season at Cheong Park, another top honour.

And what a season it was for the all-rounder.

South Croydon’s Ryan Smith has taken out the Ringwood District Cricket Association’s highest individual accolade – the Bill Dean Medal – for the second year running.

The top Dog finished on 16 votes after polling in eight matches – three ahead of North Ringwood’s Simon Gray who finished on 13 votes.

Two in a row for Ryan Smith (left). Picture: Field of View Sports Photography

Mooroolbark’s Scott Dimitriou, Montrose’s Kieran Perkins and North Ringwood’s Ryan Peter-Budge tied for third on 11 votes apiece, while Wantirna South’s Cameron Smith finished a vote behind in fourth.

In a season where the Dogs claimed the Trollope Shield by producing a stunning grand final upset over minor premier Montrose, Smith was again central to his side’s charge after landing at the club ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.

He again earned selection in the Team of the Year, topping the comp run count with 498 while also finishing fifth in the bowling with 22 wickets to his name – just three shy of his 2019-20 total.

Despite the numbers, Smith said the honour was an unexpected one due to the shift to the one-day format this season.

Smith in action with the bat. Picture: Field of View Sports Photography

“I feel as though I had a way better year last year, but I think the one-day season brought everyone down a little bit, so there obviously wasn’t as many big runs and such – I didn’t think I was a sniff at all,” Smith said.

“With the one-day season it’s a difficult year, when you’re playing the two-dayers, you can kind of take your time a little bit more. But when you’ve only got 40 overs or so, you’ve got to take a lot more risks.”

Smith said this year’s medal felt more complete, owing to the Bulldogs’ premiership win – in stark contrast to last season.

South Croydon was set to face off against North Ringwood in the decider in 2019-20 before the coronavirus crisis wiped the match out, and the Bulls were subsequently declared the premiers.

The Bulldogs knocked off North Ringwood in this year’s prelim final.

“Last year was a nightmare,” Smith said.

“You’re never going to get a premiership back, but it was good to beat them just to show that we could have done it the year before.

“In saying that, it was a completely different game (this year) as it was a one-dayer … it eased the pain of last year I suppose.”

And despite a running joke among teammates that the individual awards rank above team success to Smith, the two-time comp medallist is keen to set the record straight:

“All my mates joke around and say the same thing that I’d rather a Bill Dean over a premiership, but that’s an absolute myth,” Smith laughed.

“Premierships are better than these individual awards, but they are nice when they come up.”

Across the grades, Warranwood’s David Johnson was crowned the Bill Wilkins medallist, Wantirna’s Armaan Brar claimed the Ian Spencer Medal and Christopher Deidun was a runaway winner for the Pat Meehan honour. Healesville’s Tyler Tweedie (RA Finger Medal), Trent Sier of Ainslie Park (Steve Pascoe), Coldstream’s Michael Pezzementi (DJ Strachan) and Scoresby’s Amith Eranda (Stuart Newey) round out the medal winners.