Victorian Premier Cricket Team of the Week Round 6: Holland, O’Sullivan

There were no shortage of standout performances in Round 6 of Premier Cricket. We’ve picked our best XI.

Ringwood champion Ian Holland was all smiles after his hat-trick.

It was another action-packed weekend of Premier Cricket, with plenty of runs and a hat-trick from a champion all-rounder.

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

Eleven clubs are represented in our 12, with Camberwell Magpies the only club with two players picked.

Jack Rudd posted his third ton for Fitzroy Doncaster. Picture: Stuart Milligan

1. Jack Rudd (Fitzroy Doncaster)

The Fitzroy Doncaster opener batted through the innings to finish unconquered on 122 from 128 balls as his team cruised to an eight-wicket win over Footscray. Rudd’s third First XI century for the Lions featured 10 boundaries and a pair of sixes.

2. Mark Phelan (Northcote)

Phelan continues to impress at the top of the Dragons’ order. He fell agonisingly short of his second century of the season, his 93 his second straight score in the 90s after a 91 for a Premier Cricket XI against a Victoria State XI. The knock moved him to second on the competition’s run-scorers list.

3. Ian Holland (Ringwood)

Holland failed with the bat but there’s no doubt he belongs in the team of the week after claiming a stunning hat-trick against Dandenong. The star all-rounder ripped through the Panthers’ top order for his first Premier Cricket hat-trick, toppling Dandy captain Tom Donnell, Aaron Fernando and Comrey Edgeworth.

Nick Blaich and Adam Bull put on a 206-run stand at the top of the order. Picture: Valeriu Campan

4. Nick Blaich (Prahran) (WK)

Prahran’s wicketkeeper-batsman posted his maiden Premier Cricket ton, hitting five sixes in a fine knock of 120 from 133 deliveries. Blaich and Adam Bull put on a 206-run stand at the top of the order as the True Blues toppled Melbourne.

5. James McNeil (Melbourne University)

The Melbourne Uni skipper was the only player to post a half-century in his side’s commanding win over Casey-South Melbourne, finishing with 94 not out from 98 balls after arriving at the crease with the Students wobbling at 3-40.

6. Hamish Burrill (Camberwell Magpies)

You’ve got to feel for Burrill after being stranded on 99 not out, agonisingly short of what would have been a maiden Premier Cricket century. Coming in a 3-72, Burrill and Aksay Kodoth rebuilt the Magpies innings with a 146-run partnership that set up a much-needed victory over Greenvale Kangaroos

7. James Nanopoulos (Dandenong)

The star Dandenong all-rounder did everything in his power to save his club on Saturday but to no avail. Nanopoulos came to the crease at 4-37 and smashed 70 off 76 balls to give the Panthers something to defend. He then ripped out Ringwood openers Tom Rogers and Ian Holland for a duck and two before the Rams recovered and finished with 2-32.

8. Harvinder Singh (Kingston Hawthorn)

Singh played a massive role in Kingston Hawthorn’s stunning upset of St Kilda. He ripped the heart out of the Saints’ top order, knocking over the previously red-hot Michael De Iacovo and Jon Merlo for a duck and four respectively. He returned to clean up the tail and finished with 4-35 from eight overs.

St Kilda Will Lovell is in fine form. Picture: Rob Leeson

9. Will Lovell (St Kilda)

The young St Kilda paceman is enjoying a fine season and starred in the club’s shock loss to the Hawks, capturing 4-45 from his 10 overs. Lovell has not gone wicketless in any of his six appearances this season and has 14 wickets to his name.

10. Eddy O’Sullivan (Carlton)

Carlton captain-coach Evan Gulbis reckons his star left-arm spinner could cut it at a higher level. O’Sullivan collected 5-24 from 10 immaculate overs against Richmond, taking his 2020-21 tally to 14 wickets at 14.6 apiece.

11. Callum Dodson (Casey-South Melbourne)

The Swans paceman toiled hard for his wickets as Melbourne University amassed 237. However, he can hold his head high having taken the key wickets of Fergus McKenna (13) and Andrew Young (six) and finishing with 4-46 from 10 overs.

12TH MAN - Aksay Kodoth (Camberwell Magpies)

Kodoth posted the sixth highest score in Premier Cricket in Round 6 so can count himself unlucky to be bumped to 12th man. Together with Burrill, he salvaged the Magpies’ innings before falling for 93, seven runs short of what would have been a maiden Premier Cricket ton.