Subbies 2018-19: Leader reporters name their Sub-District Cricket team of the year
Our reporters have put their necks on the line, naming the VSDCA Team of the Year for 2018-19. Did they get it right?
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A Sri Lankan, an Irishman and a former Victorian batsman walk into a bar …
It’s either the start of a bad joke, or a line describing the batting line-up in our VSDCA team of the year.
Reporters Paul Amy and Tim Michell have assessed the best performers of 2018-19 in the VSDCA First XI, coming up with a side flush with run-makers and wicket-takers.
Here’s the 12 we settled on, in batting order:
Matthew Dean (Werribee): as the Tigers prepare for finals, Dean remains the dean of their batting. The left-hander missed the early exchanges of the season but from nine innings has stacked up 536 runs at 67, with centuries against Elsternwick (113no), Brighton (105) and Hoppers Crossing (103). Hit one to gully last Saturday and missed out against Oakleigh. The Oaks’ celebration showed how highly they coveted Dean’s wicket. All clubs do.
Graeme Rummans (Caulfield): at age 42, the former St Kilda Premier Cricket champion and first-class player continues to make runs hungrily and handsomely. Finished the home-and-away season with 607 runs at 60.7, including six half-centuries and a matchwinning 129 not out against Brighton. Only his captain, Jacob Thorne, was more prolific in the South-West section.
Jacob Thorne (Caulfield) — captain: the starting point for the selectors after another bumper season for the Fielders. Tallied a section-best 648 runs at 49.8, with centuries against Melton (118), Elsternwick (113) and Malvern (109), and also topped the competition wicket aggregate with 42 at 12.30 with his off-spin. Picks himself as captain of the minor premier and looks destined to win a fourth consecutive Val Holten Medal.
Kasun Adikari (Ivanhoe): the Sri Lankan is the leading run-scorer in VSDCA First XI, crunching 714 runs at 59.5 during a remarkably consistent season. Adikari made 63 more runs than any other player, with Noble Park skipper Luke Wintle (651) the next best. Adikari hasn’t been dismissed once for single figures and nine of his innings to Round 10 were half-centuries. He also chimed in with 13 wickets, with a season-best of 4-22 against Kew.
Eoghan Delany (Preston): Irishman Delany stepped up to Preston’s captaincy with aplomb this summer, producing the best season of any Bullants batsman in more than a decade. Only Wintle and Adikari made more runs than the right-hander in the North-East as he plundered four fifties and two centuries. Delany delivered a sign of things to come with scores of 100, 45, 64 not out and 52 not out to open the season, also reaching triple figures against St Bernard’s in Round 7. He’ll be sorely missed if, as expected, he returns full-time to Ireland.
Luke Wintle (Noble Park): with joint 2017-18 Val Holten Medal star Mevan Fernando not returning to Noble Park this season, Parkers captain Wintle had to shoulder more of the top-order load. He responded with 651 runs at 65.1, highlighted by a superb unbeaten 141 against St Bernard’s. There were also hands of 98no and 94, two other half-centuries and four scores in the 40s; consistency was the core of his batting. They call him “Juice’’ and he put the squeeze on bowling attacks this season.
Ricky Damiano (Brighton): what a laugh: Ricky Damiano, maker of 14 Subbies centuries, coming in at No 7, as the wicketkeeper-batsman. After a thin 2017-18 season the Tonners captain returned to something approaching his dazzling best, hitting 546 runs at 49.6 (and at a good clip). Scored 125 of Brighton’s total of 176 against Werribee in Round 9 and followed it up with 143 not out against Oakleigh.
Callum Nankervis (Plenty Valley): the Bats were thrilled when Nankervis took a step back from Premier Cricket, landing a dynamic all-rounder on the eve of the campaign. He might have started the season with a duck, but Nankervis then hammered 79, 61, 21 and a stunning 122 in his next three innings. The last of those knocks, against arguably the VSDCA’s most potent bowling attack Brunswick, was breathtaking to watch. Nankervis has 19 scalps, including 5-41 against Croydon in Round 6, to marry with his 435 runs.
James Pearson (Brunswick): the boom recruit of 2018-19 delivered on expectations. Pearson has 41 wickets for the campaign, earning Brunswick top spot on the North-East table with match figures of 10-61 in an outright victory against Endeavour Hills and snaring 16 wickets in the last three rounds of the campaign. The Wicks wouldn’t have toppled Balwyn in Round 7 if Pearson hadn’t scored 73 not out when they had been 6-50. He’ll have a major role to play come finals as Brunswick chases its first premiership in 31 years.
Leigh Brennan (Brunswick): As relentless as they come in the VSDCA, veteran paceman Brennan rounded out the season with three four-wicket efforts in the last four games to finish with 31 scalps for 2018-19. He only failed to take a wicket in one game — against Croydon in Round 4 — collecting two wickets in more in 10 fixtures. Brennan played his 100th game for Brunswick against Mt Waverley in Round 13 and is widely respected.
Rodney Bird (Ormond): the wholehearted left-arm paceman has given the Monders sterling service since joining the club in 2013-14. Jagged 31 wickets at 10.7 (and had an economy rate of 2.1) to take his club tally to 185. His captain James Wild’s stock comment to pressmen on Sunday mornings? “Rodney Bird bowled the house down.’’ At 37, he remains a bandit with the new ball.
12th man
Ryan Pearson (Plenty Valley):Stiff to miss out on selection at the top of the order, but was nudged by the superior average of Dean and aggregate of Rummans. Pearson compiled 573 runs for the season and grabbed 19 wickets as he was given more responsibility with the ball. 172 of his runs came in Round 1 against Coburg and he also made 109 against Croydon. One of several players who were unlucky you could mount a strong selection case for.
BEST OF THE REST
Ben Osborne (Bayswater): 551 runs at 61.2
Adam Yates (Altona): 561 runs at 46.75
Cam Christiansen (Elsternwick): 555 runs at 46.25
Ben Macrae (Melton): 525 runs at 52.5
James Wild (Ormond): 452 runs at 41.09, 20 wickets at 22.55
Karl Carver (Moorabbin): 373 runs at 41.44, 22 wickets 22.43
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