Who makes the cut in the Round 12 Premier Cricket Team of the Week

A hat-trick, a maiden century and pair of excellent all-rounders headline the Round 12 Victorian Premier Cricket Team of the Week.

Casey-South Melbourne’s Ruwantha Kellepotha. Picture: Valeriu Campan

It’s hard to go past a hat-trick as the top highlight of the weekend.

Richmond’s Dom Matarazzo performance against Frankston-Peninsula is certainly worth putting up in lights.

Of course, it wasn’t the only impressive performance.

Greenvale Kangaroos pair Tom Cullen and Scott Dixon were the round’s top run-scorers – Cullen hitting a maiden Premier Cricket century.

Meanwhile, Tom Russ and Ruwantha Kellepotha did damage with bat and ball to help guide the respective clubs to victory.

Liam Blackford in action for Geelong.

Noah Korkolis batting for Fitzroy Doncaster. Picture: George Sal

1. LIAM BLACKFORD (Geelong)

The opening bat-wicketkeeper top-scored with 68 off 93 deliveries, lifting the Cats to a 13-run victory over Northcote to keep in the finals race. The occasion marked Blackford’s first half-century of the First XI campaign since Round 3 when he knocked 79 runs against the ‘Pies.

2. NOAH KORKOLIS (Fitzroy Doncaster)

Made the move up to No.1 in the batting in the absence of Jack Rudd, and enjoyed his best knock of the season with 85 runs off 143 balls, smacking 10 fours in the Lions’ unsuccessful chase of Essendon. He also overtook Rudd’s season run total, and now leads the First XI with 337 from 11 matches.

3. TOM CULLEN (Greenvale Kangaroos)

A maiden Premier Cricket century and a critical win in his final game for Greenvale, not a bad way to sign off. After a slow start, the UK import improved significantly as the season progressed. Since Christmas Cullen scored three half-centuries and Saturday’s breakthrough ton against Camberwell, giving him 354 runs at an average of 88. He leaves ranked eighth overall in the run-scorers charts with 437 runs at 54.

Greenvale Kangaroos keeper Tom Cullen. Picture: Stuart Milligan

4. JACK HARPER (Melbourne) (WK)

The Demons star surpassed 600 runs for the first time in his Premier Cricket career on Saturday, his match-winning 74 not out coming from 100 balls and included two sixes and six fours. The knock takes his season tally to 601 runs at an average of 75.1 – good enough for third overall. Throw in 137 Super Slam runs and it’s turning into a golden summer and Melbourne coach Ben Vague is talking a Victoria Second XI debut.

5. SCOTT DIXON (Greenvale Kangaroos)

The Kangaroos vice-captain came agonisingly close to a maiden Premier Cricket century but he’ll still be satisfied with a career-best 95 and a W against Camberwell. Greenvale hasn’t had a lot of success in recent seasons but having the top two scorers of the round is a rare and impressive achievement. Dixon was on fire, facing just 85 balls and hitting nine boundaries and a trio of sixes, combining with Tom Cullen for a 135-run partnership.

6. TOM RUSS (St Kilda)

The former Camberwell Magpie certainly had a day out with bat and ball, claiming 3-39 off 10 overs, (also snaring three catches) before knocking 41 runs off 53 deliveries, including six fours. His efforts proved crucial in his side’s three-wicket win over Melbourne Uni.

Casey-South Melbourne batsman Ruwantha Kellepotha. Picture: Valeriu Campan

7. RUWANTHA KELLEPOTHA (Casey-South Melbourne)

Helped the Swans to a much-needed win over Ringwood to remain hot in the finals race, with 56 runs from 50 balls. Later went to work on the Rams’ middle-order and tail-end, claiming 4-28 off eight overs.

8. DOM MATARAZZO (Richmond)

The Tiger skipper finished with a haul of 4-19 off 8.4 overs, including a nice hat-trick in the 45th over, dismissing Frankston Peninsula middle and tail-end bats Jai Elcock, Vinu Mohotty and Tej Ghandi. Matarazzo’s handiwork with the ball boosted the finals-bound Tiges to their seventh victory of the season and sees him sit on top of the competition’s wicket-taker chart.

9. XAVIER CRONE (Carlton)

The 24-year-old Melbourne Stars name bagged 4-28 off 10 overs in his side’s 20-run win over Prahran. Perhaps the most important wicket of Crone’s haul came in the 41st over when he bowled Prahran skipper Jake Hancock, stopping the prolific run-scorer in his tracks at 30. The right-armer has taken 15 wickets this season (second in the Blues’ firsts) at an average of 14.27, from just seven appearances.

Carlton bowler Xavier Crone. Picture: Steve Tanner

Max Birthisel bowling for Footscray. Picture: Stuart Milligan

10. MAX BIRTHISEL (Footscray)

What a day for the young Dog – three wickets and the winning runs under immense pressure. Birthisel started the day taking 3-21, including the key wicket of Kingston Hawthorn’s top scorer Thaveesh Attanayake (65). Then, with Footscray holding on for dear life after losing 3-4 when it needed just five runs for victory, he hits the winning runs to seal a dramatic one-wicket win with one over remaining. The paceman now has 18 wickets at 21.56, equal eighth on the Premier Cricket charts.

11. KYLE WILLIAMSON (Melbourne)

It was a weekend for spin to win and Williamson is one of the most dangerous in Premier Cricket. Of the top five hauls in Round 12, three were spinners with Williamson’s 4-37 the fifth best. The Demon’s third four-wicket haul of the season takes him to 18 scalps at 10th overall in the competition. Removed Panthers star Tom Donnell just when he looked set and returned for a second spell to wreak havoc in the middle order, triggering a 3-6 collapse.

12. JAMES SEYMOUR (Essendon)

Usually named in the Team of the Week for his batting prowess but the Essendon skipper gets the nod in Round 12 thanks to his bowling exploits. Seymour scored just 27 runs against Fitzroy-Doncaster but still played a critical role in the Bombers’ 20-run victory, taking 4-34. The Victoria star ripped through the Lions’ middle and lower-order, removing Liam Smith, Nicholas Fletcher and Ejaaz Alavi to trigger a 4-24 collapse.