Who makes the cut in the Round 8 Premier Cricket Team of the Week

A pair of centurions and plenty of wickets, the Round 8 Premier Cricket Team of the Week is stacked with match-winning talent. Who made the cut?

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

Premier Cricket’s Covid chaos seems to have passed and the state’s best cricketers got back to it over the weekend.

We’ve brought together the best from Round 8 in the Team of the Week.

There were a pair of centurions but only one five-wicket haul, while Dean Russ and Damon Egan had a ding-dong battle at Merv Hughes Oval.

A pair of Cats are in after a last-ball thriller against Casey-South Melbourne and a pair of Bombers are also recognised.

Footscray, Prahran, Melbourne University, Melbourne, Kingston Hawthorn, St Kilda, Greenvale Kangaroos and Richmond all have one representative.

Geelong's Hayden Butterworth. Picture: Mike Dugdale

1. HAYDEN BUTTERWORTH (Geelong)

The experienced opener peeled off his second century in three games to set up the Cats’ final-ball victory over Casey South Melbourne. His 107 from 128 balls followed a knock of 104 against Kingston Hawthorn before Christmas. Butterworth, 33, has scored eight First XI tons for Geelong (and he’s also got a 99) and the Cats are still a chance to play finals.

2. NOAH CROES (Melbourne University)

It’s fast becoming a season to remember for the talented batter-keeper. Having already put his name up in lights with a maiden century last month, Croes on Saturday scored a match-winning 91 not out off 103 balls to escort the Students to a resounding win over Melbourne. Croes cracked 10 boundaries as Uni reeled in 210 in just 38.2 overs.

3. JACK HARPER (Melbourne) (WK)

Jack Harper did all he could to keep Melbourne’s undefeated start to the season going, cracking 107 against Melbourne University. Alas it was not meant to be. However, there was still reason to celebrate, the knock was Harper’s maiden First XI century – a fantastic achievement win or loss. The Demons’ first drop has been in sensational form this season, hitting four half centuries before finally reaching triple figures, for a total of 369 runs at an average of 61.50 – ranked No.1 at the club and seventh overall.

Jack Harper in action for Melbourne. Picture: Hamish Blair

4. DEAN RUSS (Footscray)

The Russ v Egan battle went to the Footscray legend. Both players scored 90s but Russ was unbeaten at the end and steered his Dogs to a four-wicket win with an over to spare. Russ’ season-best 94 not out came from 106 balls and included six boundaries. He had stand-in captain Dylan Kight put on 67 runs for the fifth wicket before a 51-run sixth-wicket stand with Ash Armstrong turned the game in Footscray’s favour.

5. DAMON EGAN (Prahran)

Egan fell agonisingly short of a century for the second time this season, out for 93 in a terrific battle against Footscray. He scored 92 earlier in the year against Essendon. Egan’s knocked lasted 121 balls and included seven boundaries and a trio of sixes as he and skipper Jake Hancock put on 129 for the third wicket after the True Blues were in early trouble.

6. ADAM CROSTHWAITE (St Kilda)

It’s back-to-back Team of the Week honours for the Saints skipper after he blazed 93 not out (with 10 fours) in a run-chase win over Camberwell Magpies. He’s got three half-centuries already this season and is averaging 52 with the bat. Not to mention he’s got the Saints sitting undefeated on top of the ladder.

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

7. LIAM MOLLOY (Essendon)

Gotta reward the hot hand and Molloy has one of the hottest hands in Premier Cricket since returning from the Christmas break. The Essendon all-rounder has three straight half centuries, the latest – 51 off 56 balls on Saturday – was critical in a 150-run win over Dandenong. He and Ryan Stingel (63) put on 95 runs together for the fifth-wicket. The Bombers’ stand-in skipper also took 2-18 to cap a remarkable performance.

8. DOM McGLINCHEY (Geelong)

The whole-hearted quick was superb taking 5-38 in the Cats’ crucial win over Casey-South Melbourne. His efforts contained the visitors’ scoring after it appeared Ashley Chandrasinghe and Harrish Kannan would set a tall target. The haul was his second five-for this season, taking him to 16 scalps and second overall on the Premier Cricket wicket-taking charts, and fifth of his decade-long career.

9. LIAM BOWE (Essendon)

Bowe is now the No.1 spinner in Premier Cricket with 15 scalps at 18.87, his 4-24 his best return of the season. With Dandenong in all sorts of trouble on Saturday, Bowe heaped more misery on the Panthers, removing four of the last five batters to finish off a 150-run rout. Bombers coach Ash Cavigan said Bowe was proving a tough nut to crack for opposition batters this season and the stats don’t lie.

Kingston Hawthorn bowler Zack Richardson. Picture: Stuart Milligan

10. ZACK RICHARDSON (Kingston Hawthorn)

Fast-medium bowler Richardson was called up from the Second XI and grabbed 4-26 off his 10 overs against Fitzroy Doncaster. The Hawks had to make four changes due to injury and Covid and Richardson took his opportunity with both hands.

11. SEAN McNICHOLL (Greenvale Kangaroos)

McNicholl was in the wickets again as Greenvale held off Ringwood by just one run on Saturday. The paceman took 4-54 in the nail-biting win at Russell Lucas Oval, removing dangermen Adam Amin (61), Tyson Freeman (26) and Jackson Freeman (43) just as they looked to be swinging the game in the Rams favour. McNicholl has now taken four wickets in back-to-back appearances after 4-45 against Carlton before Christmas and has 11 scalps for the season.

12. SAM MILLS (Richmond)

The Tigers captain creamed 80 off 75 balls – his highest First XI score – from No.7 to almost pull off a stunning win against Northcote. Mills, who also snared 1-44 with the ball, cracked four fours and three sixes and was last man out as the Tigers fell six runs short.