Signed: 50 of the best recruits in local cricket for 2021-22
As clubs get ready for a short and sharp pre-season, here’s a list of the best signings across the Melbourne metro competitions.
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Pen has touched paper.
Contracts are signed.
And there’s a big list of fine players locked in to play cricket across the Melbourne metropolitan competitions in 2021-22.
Of particular interest is the number of former Sri Lankan Test players to have found homes, including Kaushal Silva.
Harry Atkins, Rowville
The young fast bowler turned a few heads three years ago when at the age of 16 he took a five-for for the Casey South Melbourne XI. He’s since had a few injuries; hopefully he can have a full season and get among the wickets for his new club.
Jesse Barker, Knoxfield
The young right-hand batsman has made a lot of runs and played in premierships in the past two seasons at Kyabram Fire Brigade, which he joined from Tocumwal. Last season he also showed up at Premier club Dandenong for a couple of matches in the lower grades. Aside from his top-order batting, he’ll be handy with his medium-pace bowling.
Blade Baxter, Springvale South
The left-arm paceman and clean-striking left-hander joins Dandenong association powerhouse Springvale South after a stint in Sub-District cricket with Ormond. He previously played Premier Cricket with St Kilda and Richmond, and he’s spent the past few months in Darwin, taking wickets and making runs. He’ll set down a big influence at his new club.
Marcus Berryman, Bulleen
What a signing for Eastern club Bulleen, regaining one of Premier Cricket’s best all-rounders. Berryman is capable of turning matches with ball and bat, and you can expect him to have some dominant days in Wright Shield. He played 106 First XI matches, 90 of them at Richmond, jagging 147 wickets at 19.20, with a best of 6-38. He also cracked 1565 runs.
Jayden Bradbury, North Eltham Wanderers
Experienced player who has linked with Wanderers as a playing-assistant coach for at least the next two seasons. Has played a lot of cricket at Ferntree Gully, where last season he punched out 439 runs at 39.3.
Justin Bramble, Yarraville Club
Limited to four games with Division 4 outfit Caroline Springs last season due to injury but has plenty of pedigree. Bramble, who hails from Barbados, was a Senior Division premiership player with Strathmore in 2018-19 and the leading run-scorer in the Maryborough District association in 2019-20.
Darcy Brown, Mentone
The Tigers have snaffled the paceman from Old Mentonians, where he took more than 250 wickets and was captain. He’ll play under the captaincy of former OM captain Simon Cormie.
Darren Colaco, Westmeadows
The paceman has 31 Premier Cricket First XI appearances to his name at Carlton but has played just two Fourth XI matches in the past two seasons. However, he should have no trouble making trouble in Senior Division with Westmeadows boasting a handy pace trio of Colaco, Blair Ryan and Austin Wynne.
Steve De Bolfo, Washington Park
The right-hand batsman and 147-match Premier player is back for a second stint with the Sharks, signing as playing assistant coach for two years. De Bolfo spent 2016-17 with WP before going back to Prahran, where he hit 3616 runs at 27.39 in the First XI, with four centuries and 21 half-centuries.
Ayrton Dehmel, Wantirna South
Dehmel played seven seasons with Ringwood in Premier Cricket, getting an extended run in the First XI in 2010-11. Moving on to Warrandyte, he made seven centuries, with a highest score of 135. Dehmel spent last season with Officer in the West Gippsland competition, scoring 369 runs at 28.38. Well performed with the bat, sharp in the field, handy with his off-spin and with a lot of experience, he’s a good pick-up for Wantirna South.
Tryan De Silva, Heinz Southern District (HSD)
Young and talented, De Silva joins the Dandenong District association club after stints at Premier Cricket clubs Monash Tigers and Dandenong. He played First XI cricket at both clubs and was a state under-age representative as a left-arm paceman and useful middle-order batsman.
Josh Dowling, Springvale South
The right-arm paceman has bounced around in the past few seasons and his latest move took him from Narre South to Springvale South, giving his new club one of the most potent bowling attacks in local cricket. Dowling claimed 31 wickets at 12.7 last season. He played one match for Dandenong in 2015-16 and 28 more for Casey South Melbourne from 2018-19 to 2019-20.
Ben Earney, Beaumaris
The fast bowler has returned to his junior club (and been named vice-captain). Earney played some First XI Premier Cricket for Richmond and St Kilda, and with his pace and height can be expected to cause some bother for batsmen in the Cricket Southern Bayside Championship.
Angus Heldt, North Dandenong
The opening batsman has returned to North after a season in the Subbies with Endeavour Hills. Heldt was a standout pathways player, scoring good runs in the Under 19 national titles for Vic Metro in 2017-18, and had stints at Premier clubs Dandenong and Casey South Melbourne. Needs a good season to remind people why he earned such a good reputation as he was coming through.
Jayde Herrick, Springvale South
The colourful former Victorian quickie said he was retiring from cricket as he confirmed his departure from Langwarrin after last season. But the 36-year-old is going back to the competition from which he emerged, joining South. Herrick came through the Cranbourne juniors and then moved to Buckley Ridges, where at the age of 17 he took nine wickets in an innings in Turf 1. He went on to play 19 first-class matches, collecting 77 wickets at 31.55, with a best of 7-103. Herrick also had 10 List A appearances and had a Big Bash League stint with the Melbourne Renegades. At Premier level he had a total of 114 matches, spending time at Frankston Peninsula, St Kilda and Casey South Melbourne.
Quinton Hodgkinson, Lilydale
Hodginkson played Subbies with Bayswater last season and was a useful performer with 235 runs and 11 wickets. But he’s heading back to Lilydale, where he previously played and coached. He featured in two Trollope Shield titles – 2017-18 and 2018-19 – and was selected in the club’s 2010-11 to 2019-20 team of the decade.
Josh Hudson, Templeton
Hudson was a prominent under-age cricketer and played with Melbourne and Ringwood at Premier level and with Bayswater in the Sub-District competition. Now, at age 23, he’s back at the club where he started his cricket, and the Temps have appointed him as an assistant coach concentrating on the bowling brigade.
Matthew Lewis, St Francis de Sales
The Saints’ attack received a boost with the return of Lewis after several seasons with Essendon’s Third and Fourth XIs in Premier Cricket. In his last season in the VTCA Lewis snaffled 48 wickets at 7.92, including a haul of 12-63 against St Andrews. The paceman picked up 14 Third XI scalps for the Bombers in 2020-21.
Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Sunshine
A big get for last season’s Division 1 grand finalist. Paxino Medallist Lokuarachichi arrives after winning the Senior Division premiership with cross-town rival Sunshine United, where he amassed 251 runs and 14 wickets. Represented Sri Lanka 27 times at the highest level and comfortably sits among the best all-rounders in local cricket.
Damith Mapa Ralalage, Berwick
The experienced Mapa Ralalage, a wicketkeeper and classy batsman, is a tremendous pick-up for the Bears. He has crossed from Mordialloc, where he played in three Turf 1 premierships when the club was affiliated with the Dandenong District association. Last season Mapa Ralalage captained Mordi to the Division 1 premiership in Cricket Southern Bayside, finishing with 415 runs at 41.5, as well as 25 catches and three stumpings.
Thilina Masmulla, Sunshine
The former Sri Lanka first class star arrives from Senior Division outfit St Albans after plundering 532 runs at 44.3, including five half-centuries, and finishing the season as the competition’s third highest run-scorer. Shouldn’t have any trouble piling on runs in Division 1, having scored less than 495 runs in a season only once at Senior Division level.
Chamindru Mathra, Mordialloc
A right-hand batsman and handy off-spinner who played 14 first-class matches in Sri Lanka, Mordialloc signing Mathra has put up good numbers for Blackburn South and then East Burwood in the Box Hill competition. His run aggregate of 667 at 66.70 in 2016-17 included an unbeaten 203 for Blackburn South, as well as another century. In 2019-20 he hit 629 runs for East Burwood, and last season he came in with 370 at 26.42 for a side that reached the grand final.
Ajantha Mendis, Blackburn North
The 36-year-old is among a host of former Sri Lankan internationals lined up to play local cricket in 2021-22. The right-arm slowie played 19 Tests and 87 ODIs and at times was referred to as a “mystery spinner’’ for his assortment of deliveries. Mendis, who made his last international appearance in 2015, will coach Blackburn North and there’s little doubt he’ll toss up a few questions to his opponents in the Box Hill Reporter District association.
Brad McMaster, Druids
Arrives after a solid season opening the batting for Lara in the Geelong Cricket Association. McMaster scored 393 runs at an average of 26.20. Adds much-needed scoring power for the Druids, who scored the third fewest runs in the VTCA’s top flight last season.
Luke Money, Riverside
A former DVCA representative, Money returns to Whatmough Park after seven seasons in Premier Cricket’s lower grades at Carlton and the past two with Brunswick in the VSDCA. He’ll be a dangerous proposition in 2021-22.
Jarrod Munday, Hampton
It was a happy day for Hampton when it signed Munday. He’s a wicketkeeper-batsman and just what the Cricket Southern Bayside club was needing. Munday played 33 First XI matches for St Kilda in Premier Cricket, his most recent in 2018-19. He is highly regarded for his glovework, and there is plenty of grit about his batting; he averaged 22.35 for the Saints, with a highest score of 67 not out.
Sangaran Nandhalal, Yarraville Club
Crosses to the Clubbers after winning the Senior Division flag with Sunshine United last season. The wicketkeeper-batsman racked up 346 runs at an average of 43.25, took 10 catches behind the stumps as well as six stumpings. Some much-needed batting power after a lean season for the traditional powerhouse.
Leigh Odermatt, Heatherdale
The veteran paceman is back at Heatherdale after a stint at Blackburn North, where last season he collected 28 wickets at 14.29. Odermatt was Dales junior and later a First XI premiership player, and has been a leading player in the Box Hill Reporter District for some time.
Donovan Pell, Westmeadows
One of the biggest recruits of the local cricket off-season. Pell takes the Warriors’ captain-coaching reins after 102 Premier Cricket First XI appearances for Carlton. Stuck behind prolific pair Brayden Stepien and Evan Gulbis, Pell didn’t see much time in the middle but still scored 231 runs.
Issy Perera, Deepdene Bears
One of this year’s best signings in local cricket, without question. Perera, a left-hand top-order batsman and leg-spinner, is widely regarded as the best player to have represented Noble Park in the VSDCA. In 155 matches at Noble he earned seven club championships, scored 4596 runs (with a record five centuries), took 307 wickets, played in the 2013-14 premiership and was named in its 25-year team. He also served as captain twice and won the Val Holten Medal in 2014-15. What a loss for Noble. What a gain for Deepdene Bears.
Andrew Perrin, Berwick
There are always good names joining Dandenong District clubs and Berwick made the first notable signing for 2021-22 when it landed former first-class paceman Perrin from Prahran, where he was an essential element of its premiership last season. It’s a return to the club for the right-armer, who figured in its premiership side in 2010-11. Perrin went on to play much good Premier Cricket and three matches for Tasmania. He’s slippery, and he’ll splinter a few top-orders next season.
Jack Peters, Heatherdale
Peters is back at the Dales as an assistant coach after six seasons with Premier club Ringwood. He played fourths, thirds and seconds for the Rams last season.
Scott Phillips, Williamstown Imperials
The champion all-rounder will see out his decorated career in the VTCA, to play closer to his work in Yarraville. A clean-hitting left-hand batsman and skiddy right-arm paceman, he’s spent the past few seasons at Narre South in the Dandenong District association, but he made his name in the Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association. Phillips also played 53 First XI matches for Frankston Peninsula in Victorian Premier Cricket. In his first season at Narre South put up staggering statistics in Turf 2: 600 runs at 54.5 and 53 wickets at 11. He plundered 653 runs and snared 38 wickets the following season. And in his third season he crafted an unbeaten century and took 6-76 off 36 overs in the grand final to take the club to the premiership and the Turf 1 section.
Nathan Pobega, Altona Roosters
Arrives with a lot of Premier Cricket Second XI experience having represented Carlton, Greenvale and Richmond. Pobega spent the past two seasons at VTCA Division 4 outfit Williamstown Congs. The paceman’s experience alone will be a big boost to the Roosters’ hopes of remaining in Division 1.
Suraj Randiv, Edinburgh
What a signing for the Eastern association affiliate. It’s not every day that a local club can recruit a Test cricketer, nor a leading Premier Cricket performer. Randiv, 36, played 12 Tests and 31 ODIs for Sri Lanka, and for the past two years has been a leading wicket-taker for Dandenong, his off-spin bringing him 46 wickets (12 in Super Slam) in his first season and 23 at 24.3 in 2020-21. He’s also capable of scoring runs quickly down the list. “It’s time for me to take the next step, as a coach,’’ Randiv said after his appointment as coach of Edinburgh, which plays out of the famous Brunswick St Oval in Fitzroy.
Udara Ravindu
The 24-year-old Sri Lankan comes into a Glen Iris team preparing to play in the top division of the Eastern association. Ravindu bowls leg-spin and can also keep wickets. He’s played six first-class matches, the most recent in 2019.
Steven Reid, Airport West St Christopher’s
A H-U-G-E signing for the Division 1 club, securing a Premier Cricket paceman and former state rookie. Reid retired from the top flight with 312 First XI wickets to his name from 208 matches with Essendon and Melbourne University. The Eagles already boasted the league’s No 1 run-scorer and No 8 wicket-taker in Daniel Salpietro and will be hard to beat this season.
Sanjaya Rodrigo, North Dandenong
The top-order batsman has been appointed assistant coach of the proud Dandenong association club and brings great experience to the position. He played a lot of first-class cricket in Sri Lanka as well as league cricket in the UK. Rodrigo comes from Seaton Crew CC in the North Yorkshire and South Durham league.
Steve Seymour, Canterbury
It’s a move into coaching for the Prahran great, who stepped away from First XI cricket at the start of last season after a club-record 233 matches. From those he put away 4394 runs at 22.08 and collected 267 wickets at 27.53, with a best of 7-44. An innings of 160 not out was the highest of his six centuries. “Skinny’’ also holds two batting records, the highest partnerships for the seventh (234 runs) and eighth (222) wickets, both with Sam Coates.
Kaushal Silva, Box Hill Super Kings
Another former international hits local cricket, with Silva, 35, joining the Box Hill Reporter District association as playing coach of Box Hill North Super Kings. The diminutive right-hander played 39 Test matches, the most recent in 2018 against England at Pallekele. He scored 2099 runs at 28.36, hitting centuries against Bangladesh, Pakistan and Australia. His 115 against the Australians came at Colombo in August, 2016 against an attack of Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Jon Holland, helping his country to a 163-run victory. Silva is now living in Melbourne and was coach of Premier Cricket club Greenvale Kangaroos two years ago. Last season he played at Donvale in the Eastern Cricket Association, cracking 368 runs at 40.89.
Cameron Spaulding, Upper Ferntree Gully
The all-rounder has joined UFG from Warranwood, where last season he scored 389 runs at the top of the list. He was previously a two-time premiership player with Lilydale in the Ringwood and District association.
Cal Stevens, Lilydale
The opening bowler is back with the Falcons after a season away from cricket, adding much experience and energy to the ranks. He starred in Lilydale’s 2018-19 premiership season with 43 wickets at 11.65, with two six-wicket hauls.
Tom Stray, Ainslie Park
What a lifter for Ainslie Park to regain its former junior. Stray went on to an excellent career that took in first-class cricket for Victoria and South Australia and three Premier Cricket flags with Ringwood. Stray, 34, played 204 matches for the Rams, cracking 6531 runs at 34.01, with a highest score of 162 not out among his eight centuries. You suspect he’s going to keep bowlers busy in the Ringwood District association in 2021-22.
Jake Toohey, Ferntree Gully
The 26-year-old brings great experience to the Gully, having spent a decade at Premier club Ringwood, where he played First and Second XI cricket. He bats in the top and middle-orders, bowls medium pace and should quickly put his stamp on local cricket.
Mahela Udawatte, Buckley Ridges
An off-season doesn’t pass without the Bucks landing a quality recruit, and in Mahela Udawatte they have secured a batsman who played two Test matches for Sri Lanka in 2018. The 35-year-old has permanent residency in Australia and arrived in Melbourne late last month. The hard-hitting left-hander hit 9680 runs in his 169 first-class matches, averaging 35.32. There were 14 centuries – his highest score was 212 – and 57 half-centuries.
And in 189 List-A matches he scored 6116 runs at 33.79.
Nishan Weerakkody, Lower Eltham
The left-arm paceman becomes a Kanga after two years with Noble Park in the VSDCA. They brought him returns of 22 and 12 wickets, highlighted by his stunning finals haul of 7-50 off 28.3 overs against Yarraville in 2019-20. Previously played at Montmorency.
Alex Williamson, Northern Socials
The two-time First XI premiership player returns to Ruthven Reserve after a season with Jika Shield rival Keon Park. Williamson is a previous club best-and-fairest and two-time batting champion at Socials and will immediately bolster the Lions’ top-order.
Oliver Willett, Druids
The Victorian underage representative has moved to Melbourne from Albury, where he scored an impressive 434 runs at 31 for Tallangatta to be the 13th highest run-scorer in Cricket Albury Wodonga’s top flight. Willett, 20, was briefly on Essendon’s books at Premier Cricket level but only played one Fourth XI match.
Luke Wintle, Cheltenham
Wintle – “Juice’’ to everyone in the southern bayside sporting scene – retired from Noble Park after the 2019-20 season, finishing up after six seasons in the VSDCA. At age 42 the tall right-handle has agreed to play at Cheltenham, where his friend Dave Sell is president. It’s a boost – a Juice boost, you might say – for the club as it goes into its 150th year of cricket eager to climb the grades in Cricket Southern Bayside.
Ben Wright, Buckley Ridges
The former Under 19 and Glamorgan batsman is now living in Melbourne and will captain the powerful Dandenong District club. The 33-year-old played two youth Tests against Pakistan, one as stand-in captain where he scored 105 and led his team to an innings victory. In the second game he score 32 and 10, and later toured Bangladesh. Wright had 89 matches for Glamorgan, hitting 3684 runs at an average of 27.1.
Austin Wynne, Westmeadows
The exciting young paceman steps up to Senior Division after a winning Glenroy’s best-and-fairest in Division 1 last season. Wynne claimed 20 wickets – 11th most – at an average of 14.65 and will add quality to the Warriors’ pace battery alongside Blair Ryan and Darren Colaco.
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