Victorian Premier Cricket Team of the Week Round 1: Seymour, Prestwidge

There were no shortage of standout performances in the opening round of Premier Cricket. We’ve picked the best XI.

Ringwood Batsman Tom Rogers helped himself to 181 not out in a standout display. Picture: Stuart Milligan

There were countless eye-catching efforts in the opening round of Premier Cricket.

The selection panel at Leader Community News has come together and picked the Team of the Week in Victoria’s pre-eminent cricket competition.

St Kilda (three), Essendon (two) and Carlton (two) have multiple players in the side, while Ringwood, Prahran, Melbourne, Dandenong and Kingston Hawthorn also feature, with the best XI selected plus a 12th man.

James Seymour started the season in red-hot form. Picture: Hamish Blair

James Seymour (Essendon)

Hasn’t missed a beat since claiming the Ryder Medal last season, dominating the Darwin District season and impressing in NSW Premier before returning to Essendon. Seymour’s 143 not out came off 158 balls and together with Michael Hill formed a match-winning 183-run partnership. Added 2-51 with the ball for good measure.

Tom Rogers hit Northcote’s attack to all parts of Jubilee Park. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Tom Rogers (Ringwood)

It was a near record-breaking performance for the Rams opener as he romped to an unbeaten 181 from 148 deliveries in his side’s dismantling of Northcote. The left-hander belted seven sixes and 13 fours to almost topple teammate Ian Holland’s club record of 199 not out from January last year.

Michael Hill continues to pile on the runs for Essendon. Picture: Hamish Blair

Michael Hill (Essendon)

The skipper’s century might have been overshadowed by James Seymour’s performance but it was arguably the more impressive. Hill blasted seven fours and fives sixes in a whirlwind 106 not out that only took 79 balls. It was also his first ton against Geelong in a distinguished First XI career.

Adam Crosthwaite goes on the attack for St Kilda. Picture: Supplied

Adam Crosthwaite (St Kilda)

You’ve got to feel for the Camberwell attack. After removing Jon Merlo, Marcus Harris, Nic Maddinson and Peter Handscomb relatively cheaply, Crosthwaite walks to the crease and belts an unbeaten century from 103 balls with 11 boundaries. That’s just mean.

Tom Smyth played a vital hand for Carlton. Picture: Peter Ristevski

Tom Smyth (Carlton)

Arriving at the crease with his team 2-67 in pursuit of 220 for victory against Melbourne University, Smyth saw Carlton to victory with a mature 67 not from 101 balls against an attack featuring Simon Mackin and Fawad Ahmed. Hit five boundaries as the Blues prevailed by six wickets.

Evan Gulbis in full flight for the Blues. Picture: Arj Giese.

Evan Gulbis (Carlton)

The captain-coach had a quiet start to the season, dismissed for 19, but as usual Gulbis had an impact on the match as he collected 4-38 from 9.4 overs. The gun all-rounder took the key wicket of Melbourne University gun Andrej Yaksender to lead his team to a first-up win.

St Kilda celebrates a Patrick Rowe catch last summer.

Patrick Rowe (St Kilda)

The Kookaburra found Rowe’s gloves like it was magnetised on Saturday. Seven catches in all, including four of the top five Camberwell batsmen. The star gloveman added a crucial 39 with the bat as well, having the best seat in the house as Adam Crosthwaite went berserk at the other end.

Jack Prestwidge starred in his first outing for Melbourne. Picture: Getty Images

Jack Prestwidge (Melbourne)

The former Queensland quick has moved to Victoria in a bid to establish his career, and he couldn’t have produced a much better first-up effort for his new club. Prestwidge hit 48 from 51 balls after Melbourne slipped to 4-57 against Richmond before removing the opposition’s top-three batsmen, including state man Jake Fraser-McGurk, on his way to 3-17 from five overs.

Henry Thornton is a major inclusion for St Kilda. Picture: Joey Ratcliffe/Sydney Sixers

Henry Thornton (St Kilda)

Thornton delivered exactly what any captain would want from their spearhead — early wickets before cleaning up the tail. Thornton had Camberwell in early trouble at 2-33 when he sent Simon Hill and Shubham Bhargave packing and then was on a hat-trick after knicking off Magpies skipper Andrew Fekete to finish with 4-31.

Peter Cassidy bends his back for Dandenong. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Peter Cassidy (Dandenong)

The experienced right-arm medium-pacer took 4-20 off 10 in his side’s eight-wicket win over Frankston Peninsula, setting the tone early dismissing Ryan Hammel (6) in the 11th over before later putting an end to young gun Jai Elcock’s knock of 40. But the Panthers gun didn’t stop there, collecting two wickets from four balls in the 42nd over as he removed state pair Scott Boland (17) and Jon Holland (2).

Blake Parsons helped Prahran claim a Round 1 win. Picture: Hamish Blair

Blake Parsons (Prahran)

The skilful left-arm spinner led the charge in Prahran’s emphatic win over Fitzroy Doncaster, taking 4-49 off 10 overs. Parsons claimed the scalps of gun Lions batsmen Noah Korkolis (7) and Jack Rudd (42) in the space of an over before seeing off Nick Fletcher (16) and Sam Elliott (10).

Romain Grenville stood tall in Kingston Hawthorn’s loss. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Romain Grenville (Kingston Hawthorn)

Unlucky not to get in the XI, Grenville has been named 12th man after making a dashing return to Premier Cricket. While his team lost, the all-rounder hammered 72 from 64 balls, collected 1-13 and snared three smart catches at slip.