Who makes the cut in the Round 9 Premier Cricket Team of the Week

A Test player, young guns and a double-century maker headline the Team of the Week as the runs and wickets flowed in Premier Cricket.

Carlton bowler Xavier Crone. Picture: Valeriu Campan

A Second XI performance so mind-blowing it just had to be included, four centuries and a pair of five-fors.

What a weekend in Premier Cricket and what a Team of the Week.

Camberwell’s Chris Thewlis produced one of the most brutal knocks seen and even through it was in the Second XI was more than deserving of a place in our Round 9 XI.

Meanwhile, Jack Harper and Adam Crosthwaite are back for a second straight week and Simon O’Brien made a triumphant return.

In all three Magpies are recognised and a pair of Saints and Blues while a Ram, Hawk, Dragon, Demon and Heat are also included.

Tom Rogers in action for the Melbourne Stars.

1. TOM ROGERS (Ringwood)

Rogers joined some elite company on Saturday as only the sixth batsman in Premier Cricket history to hit a hat-trick of centuries. Rogers’ latest effort, a 136-run masterclass against Footscray. The 143-ball knock included 13 boundaries and a pair of sixes. The pure numbers are insane, Rogers has four centuries in six matches, dismissed for 86 and 38 in his other two knocks, taking him to 687 runs at an average of 137.40 – clearly No.1 in Premier Cricket. How long before the Vics come calling?

2. CHRIS THEWLIS (Camberwell Magpies)

A performance so extraordinary it just had to be recognised in the Team of the Week even if it was in the Second XI. Thewlis’ innings was the talk of the town on Saturday as players from Premier Cricket to the local leagues watched on in awe. The stats are mind-boggling … 24 sixes and 20 fours – that’s more than 200 runs in boundaries – triple figures in just 36 balls, in the 11th over of the innings, and another 27 deliveries to reach 200. That’s 63 balls total. Thewlis was eventually out for 237 runs off 72 balls. Wow.

3. JACK HARPER (Melbourne)

Harper’s past fortnight has been nothing short of sensational with back-to-back centuries and now sits third in the Premier Cricket run-scorers charts with 493 runs at 70.43. Harper scored 107 against Melbourne University last week and upped the dose with a career-best 124 against Northcote on Saturday. The knock was desperately needed too, the Demons were 2-25 when Harper walked to the crease and by the time he departed were 5-261. Followed up his good work wit the bat in the field by running out Jonty Rushton to break a promising Northcote opening partnership – a match-winning performance all around.

Jack Harper on his way to 124 runs. Picture: Valeriu Campan

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

4. ADAM CROSTHWAITE (St Kilda)

The former Victorian wicketkeeper blasted a dynamic century as the Saints continued their march to the finals. He smoked 105 not out off only 61 balls, putting away 12 fours and three sixes, against Essendon at the Junction Oval. It followed innings of 74 and 93 not out – and at 37 he’s batting as well as ever.

5. SHORYE CHOPRA (Kingston Hawthorn)

The Hawks captain burst back to form with a stylish, unbeaten 108, against Camberwell Magpies. He faced 129 balls and struck 10 boundaries to almost orchestrate an amazing win; the Hawks, chasing 247, crashed to 4-29 before Chopra led a rebuild with an array of classical strokes. In the end, the Hawks fell 11 runs short of victory. But Chopra, who was born in India, raised in Dubai and represented the UAE in an Under-19 World Cup, was back in vintage form – a boost for the bottom placed Hawks.

6. LIAM FITZPATRICK (Camberwell Magpies)

The 19-year-old gun scored his maiden Premier Cricket century to help the Magpies snap a six-game losing streak. And what an innings it was, coming off only 118 balls and featuring six boundaries and a six – and helping to lift the Magpies from a precarious 4-45 to 7-247 against Kingston Hawthorn. Earlier this season Fitzpatrick scored his maiden half-century but this memorable ton showed why he is regarded as one of the state’s most promising young talents.

Carlton, bowler Xavier Crone. Picture: Steve Tanner

7. XAVIER CRONE (Carlton)

Fresh from a stint with the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash, the talented 24-year-old bowled brilliantly to snare 4-19 off 10 overs, helping to skittle Fitzroy Doncaster for 156 and set up another Blues win. Crone made his first-class debut two months ago and will play a key role as Carlton chase more silverware this season.

8. JON HOLLAND (Frankston Peninsula)

The Australian Test spinner looked a class above as he captured 4-20 to set up Frankston Peninsula’s win over Greenvale Kangaroos. “He looked like getting a wicket nearly every ball,” Heat coach Paul Boraston said after Holland was turning them sharply on the spin-friendly Butler Oval pitch.

9. MICHAEL TOPP (Northcote)

A vintage performance from Topp but he got little help from his fellow Northcote bowlers as Melbourne poured on the runs on Saturday. The Dragons paceman nicked off Sam Harper with the third ball of the innings for a duck and also removed Demons’ top-scorers Jack Harper, Blake Thomson and Jack Prestwidge to finish with a season’s best 5-50. The five-wicket haul was Topp’s first of the season and take him to 18 scalps for 2021-22, equal second in the Premier Cricket wicket-takers charts with an elite average of 16.11.

Northcote bowler Michael Topp. Picture: Valeriu Campan

10. SIMON O’BRIEN (St Kilda)

Having toiled away in the Second XI and performed serviceably in the Super Slam, O’Brien earned a return to the top grade against Essendon on Saturday and duly delivered with the week’s best figures – 5-32. If there was a Bombers dangerman to dismiss it was O’Brien who got the job done. James Seymour, Isaac Willett, James O’Donnell, Ryan Stingel and Liam Molloy all fell to the Saints quick. Together with skipper and centurion Adam Crosthwaite, O’Brien was critical in a comprehensive 95-run win.

11. CHRIS BRIDLE (Camberwell Magpies)

The Magpies opening bowler ripped through the Kingston Hawthorn top order and it looked like a massive win was on the cards. Bridle removed Thaveesh Attanayake, Ramneet Dhindsa and Nivin Sathyajith to have the Hawks in early trouble at 4-29 but then had to watch on as Shorye Chopra almost single-handedly dragged his team back into the match. Bridle returned to pick up a late wicket and finished with 4-31 as Camberwell survived by 10 runs in one of the matches of the season. Jumps up to equal seventh on the wicket-takers list with 15 scalps.

12. HARRY SMYTH (Carlton)

The 27-year-old run machine scored 89 not out to steer Carlton to victory over Fitzroy Doncaster — taking his season tally to 509, at 101.9. Only Ringwood master blaster Tom Rogers (687 runs at 137.40) sits above Smyth on the stats ladder.