Statement performances earned Team of the Week selection

Career firsts have helped several players earn their way into our Premier Cricket Team of the Week alongside some usual suspects. Here’s who made it.

The big guns have come out to play as the race for the Victorian Premier Cricket finals heat up.

In the latest round of action, several batsman hit monster scores while the bowlers made their impact felt.

Here is Leader’s Team of the Week.

1. YASH PEDNEKAR (Richmond)

The former Australian U16 led the charge in his side‘s convincing win over Geelong with a maiden first grade century. Opening the batting, Pednekar hit 102 from 228 deliveries to steer his over the line, chasing Geelong’s 219 three wickets down. Pednekar’s first hundred at the level saw the elegant right hander notch 12 boundaries, the most of any individual in the game.

2. EMILIO GAY (Geelong)

The 22-year-old Northamptonshire opener oozed class as he scored a chanceless 120 for the Cats. He put away 11 fours and 1 six in his 189-ball stay against the finals-bound Tigers.

3. HARRISON SMYTH (Carlton)

The Ryder Medal contender has made this Team of the Week his own as of late. Smyth’s 123 over the course of this round against Melbourne was his second century for the summer and quite possibly his best knock in what has been a historic season.

James Seymour in action.Picture: Stuart Milligan

4. JAMES SEYMOUR (Essendon)

A fourth century of the season, 115 to be precise, takes the Essendon run-machine to 684 runs at an average of 76.00 this season. He‘s second only to Carlton’s Harry Smyth’s 740 in two more games. It was a matchwinning knock that helped the Bombers secure a six-wicket win and move back into the top eight with one game to play.

5. DEAN RUSS (Footscray)

We've almost run out of superlatives for Russ. The Footscray great and reigning Ryder Medallist scored 108 not out – his 17th Premier Cricket century and first since 2019 – to guide the Bulldogs to a six-wicket win over Casey-South Melbourne. Russ now has 9457 career runs, overtaking Australia Test captain Warwick Armstrong, for 11th all-time. He now has tons against 12 different clubs.

6. LIAM FITZPATRICK (Camberwell Magpies)

Dug in with almost half the Maggies’ 313 total in his side’s draw with Dandenong, blasting 154 runs off 214 balls. He’s put up some big numbers this season, following on from last week’s 86-run effort against Ringwood to go with earlier hauls of 91, 65 and 61. The No. 4 bat has 618 runs for the season, averaging 44.

7. BEN GIBSON (Ringwood)

Rescued the Rams from the brink, coming in at 6-159 chasing Northcote’s 278, as the keeper put on 66 not-out off 76 deliveries to help lift his side to 6-280. It was a season-high knock for Gibson in a crucial victory for Ringwood, fifth, keeping it entrenched in the ladder’s top-eight logjam.

8. BEN ALLISON (Dandenong)

The English import impressed with 38 from 37 deliveries in the first week before finishing with 5-65 from 25 overs the following week. He took two of the final three wickets – including his fifth on the final ball – to secure the tie for Dandenong when it appeared set for defeat.

Umair Butt Picture: George Salpigtidis

9. UMAIR BUTT (Footscray)

The fast bowler‘s five-for featured three of Casey South Melbourne’s top four batters including Harrish Kannan and Luke Manders who have both hit more than 500 runs this season. Butt’s feat of 5-33 off 15.4 overs led to restricting the reigning grand finalists to 245 before Footscray chased the total four wickets down. Butt’s five-wicket haul takes him to 29 wickets for the season at an average of 18.07. He is equal second for wickets taken in the competition.

10. MUSA HUSSAIN (Essendon)

A maiden Premier Cricket five-wicket haul for the Bombers paceman helped set up the win over St Kilda and lift the club back into the top-eight. Hussain picked up the crucial wickets of top-order Saints Josh Manning, Ed Newman and Adam Crosthwaite. Proved a handy nightwatchman too, while he only scored five, he batted for almost an hour to help blunt the new ball.

11. KYLE WILLIAMSON (Melbourne)

The Melbourne tweaker produced his best spell of bowling of the new year on day one against Carlton with 4-58, the second time he has taken four wickets this season. Williamson has been in impressive form this year with 22 wickets at an average of 22.1.

12. NICK MORREY (Prahran)

The ball hit the middle of his TNF bat often during a superb unbeaten 100 off 238 balls in a run-chase win over Melbourne University. It was an extra special knock by the 29-year-old; his maiden century 10 years after his first XI debut.