Subbies best: VSDCA team of the week

Matchwinning centuries and strong bowling efforts highlighted Round 2 of Subbies. Here’s our team of the week.

Go fetch: Oakleigh’s Brendan McGuiness deals with a short ball.

Rousing hundreds and strong bowling performances left the selectors spoiled for choice when Leader picked the Sub-District team of the week, calling on players from the south-east and north-west sections.

The batting runs down to Plenty Valley gloveman Rory Collins, and Moorabbin’s impressive quickie Damsara Menuwara leads the attack.

The captain for Round 2? Oakleigh’s shrewd leader and reliable leftie Brendan McGuinness.

Will Sheridan (Kew)

The former Victorian player has made a blazing beginning to Sub-District cricket, cracking 77 off 73 balls in Round 1 against Plenty Valley and backing up with 131 not out off 111 deliveries against Altona on Saturday. There were 16 fours and 2 sixes as the home team ran up 6-280. You suspect it will do that often this season: with a batting order calling on Sheridan, former Melbourne captain Matt Brown, Andrew Chalkley, Chris Weeks, David Wildsmith and former Test man John Hastings, some attacks are going to be put on the rack by Kew in 2020-21.

Shaun Dean (Werribee)

Dean has scored a lot of runs for the Bees since joining the club in 2014-15, and there is more to come, to judge from Saturday’s century against Ivanhoe. He batted through the innings for 110 not out, with 8 fours and 1 six in a 118-ball stay. It was the right-hander’s fifth First XI century for the Tigers.

Top Rooster Tom Rickarby.

Tom Rickarby (Malvern)

the ace Rooster missed out in Round 1 against Moorabbin, caught behind for 1 as he went to pull. He didn’t miss out on Saturday, finishing 105 not out against Endeavour Hills after putting away 7 fours and 3 sixes. He’s a key figure in the Malvern line-up as the historic club tries to shoulder its way back into the finals.

Brendan McGuinness (Oakleigh)

the Oaks leader and consistent left-hander walked to the creases with his side two down for not many runs against Noble Park on Saturday. And as he’s often done, he came through with important runs, 78 not out off 106 balls to set up a winning total at the Pat Wright Senior Oval.

Thimira Jayasinghe (Preston)

recruited from North Metro Cricket Association club Holy Trinity, Jayasinghe has been quick to make a good impression in Subbies, as well as two good scores. Opening the batting, he got away a clean-hit 84 against Williamstown on Saturday. He doesn’t go in first in this team, but he does go through the middle.

Malvern allrounder Glen Parker.

Glen Parker (Malvern)

the former Camberwell Magpie has the all-rounder’s arm after blitzing 47 off 40 balls and snaffling 4-12 off 4.5 overs against Endeavour Hills. Parker is a class player and the one-day format brings him to the fore. He’ll have a lot of say in a lot of matches this season.

Ormond’s James Wild.

James Wild (Ormond)

wheeling away in his cap and sunglasses, the veteran Monder picked up 6-17 off eight overs as Moorabbin fell for 57. He’ll have to swap the cap for a helmet when he comes in at No 7 in the Leader XI, quite a luxury for skipper Brendan McGuinness.

Rory Collins (Plenty Valley)

the experienced wicketkeeper-batsman had a good match for the Bats, slapping 68 at the top of the list against Brunswick and taking a catch, making a stumping and having a hand in a run-out.

Top Bat Rory Collins.

Alistair Burge (Kew)

had only James Wild in front of him for the best bowling figures of the round as, coming on first change, he nabbed 5-21 off eight overs against Altona. Burge claimed 25 wickets in 2019-20, his first season in Subbies, and he’s off to a snazzy start to 2020-21.

Croydon’s Tom McQuinn.

Tom McQuinn (Croydon)

the Croydon coach struck twice with the new ball against Elsternwick, returned to pick up a couple more wickets and finished with 4-15 off eight overs to position his team for an important victory after its Round 1 thumping.

Damsara Menuwara (Moorabbin)

It’s been a rough start to the season for the Binners but no fault can be attributed to the right-arm paceman, who tested Malvern in Round 1 and captured 4-29 off eight overs against Ormond. He’s a good player, and he’s going to have to have a very good season as the club battles the loss of half its First XI.