VSDCA: Adam Bull equals all-time Ormond century record in 23 games

The youngest president in Subbies Cricket has described his club’s most in-form player as “a fine wine” following his century which could break a club record in no time.

Ormond have had a flying start to the Sub-District cricket season as they attempt to go for wins in all grades for the third time this season.

The club stands second in the club championship with its first XI undefeated on top of the ladder with five wins.

The strong start to the season has club president Will Robertshaw impressed for more than one reason.

“It’s been a brilliant start, 5-0 in the ones but to be perfectly honest, probably more importantly, we have been really competitive across the club,” Robertshaw said.

“From the clubs perspective we just want to be competitive in all four grades and do really well and have success right across the board.

The club’s first three grades sit inside the top six and are set to receive a boost this week with the inclusion of more than 10 players from APS and AGSV school cricket competitions including the in-form Mitchell Kirkwood-Scott.

A player who has been a shining light for Ormond this season has been opening batsman Adam Bull who has amassed three centuries from the first five games of the season and leads the competition for aggregate runs.

He notched his third hundred of the season on the weekend against Strathmore scoring it off 113 balls two games after starting the campaign with back-to-back tons.

Ormond batter Adam Bull. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The 38-year-old has equalled the club record for the most centuries with five placing him alongside John Craig, Michael Williams, Dick Maddocks, James Wild and the late Kye Highland.

Bull, a former Prahran 200-game Premier cricketer impressively equalled the record in just 23 games for the club where he now has scored a total of 1,111 runs at an average of 58.

Robertshaw was complimentary of his strong start to Sub-District cricket.

“What a star, seriously,” he said.

“He is like a fine wine, just keeps getting better.

“We obviously had some superstars back in the 60s and 70s through that great era at Ormond.

“The greats of the club like John Craig, he is now equal with him and to do it all in 23 games is just astonishing.

“I think some District players come back to Sub-District and they struggle with the wickets or the pace but he is just someone who knows the game inside out.

“He is just awesome to watch, he is fantastic for our whole club, he is a ripper.

Former Prahran player Adam Bull pictured on the right with Nick Blaich. Picture: Valeriu Campan

“More importantly, I know people probably look on from the outside and go ‘Ormond must love him because of the runs’ but we love ‘Bully’ because he is just such a good bloke.

“He has been so good for our kids coming through too.”

Robertshaw, who is believed to be the youngest president in the Sub-District cricket competition at 25, has also been pleased with the club’s response after losing first XI grand finals in the past two seasons.

“I think it just comes down to our culture,” he said.

“We see ourselves as a community club and playing as a team.

“We obviously see the star players and probably the salary caps that some of the other clubs have but we know if we play as a team and look after our people, we will keep coming back each year and give it our best shot.

“Over the last decade we have really built that.

“It’s a pretty happy place at Ormond right now because of our success on and off the field.”

Will Robertshaw bowling for Ormond. He is also captain of the club’s second XI. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The club has continued to realise the success from their long-term strategy of investing in its juniors.

“We tend to spend a lot more money on our junior coaching,” he said.

“We have got 15 junior teams, 15 junior blasters.

“If people want to come and get some money at the club, we ask them to coach a junior team.

“There is no point in working casual jobs on the outside, we want them to be at our club and our juniors have been really successful.

“The whole idea is that the juniors come through, they get good coaching, they see those junior coaches, they want to become good senior cricketers or they go to premier cricket and hopefully one day they come back to the club.

“That’s probably been the club’s game plan over the last decade and we have really turned the club around.

“I reckon we were an embarrassment to the Subbies going back to 2010 in that era and then to win a first XI flag in 2014-15 and now hopefully we’re starting to see some good competitive results throughout all four grades.

“We just got to keep doing that every single year, year in year out.”

Robertshaw said results were looking after themselves as club coach Murray Ring and captain Ben Speake on “were the same page” with the club’s motto of “creating a great environment to play cricket.”

Asked if they discussed the mankad run-out ahead of the weekend’s clash against St Bernards, Robertshaw said they would be “wary” of the dismissal following a recent match were they claimed a wicket in that manner.

“They (St Bernards) are ready to obviously use that as a dismissal which is completely fine and apart of the rules so it’s just for our boys to take note of and be ready for I guess.”

“I think the mankad is just a part of cricket now, we have all got to accept that.”