BPCA top young cricketers in 2022/23 season revealed

From the best young batters to star bowlers and guns in gloves, the BPCA’s top young talent has been revealed.

From the best young batters to star bowlers and guns in gloves, the BPCA A1’s top young talent has been revealed.

The talent does not just stop at the BPCA, with the other grades set to be covered in the coming weeks.

Read about some of the region’s best young players here.

And check out the GCA1’s top young guns, as well as the GCA2’s best junior talent here.

Ocean Grove

Sam McGlynn

Ocean Grove Bowler Samuel McGlynn. Picture: Mike Dugdale

McGlynn made an immediate impact in his A-grade debut this season, taking 3-16 against Inverleigh.

Ocean Grove captain Dan Roddis said the 17-year-old’s selection in the top side has been reward for his ability to bowl what the team needs.

“Sammy’s been one we’ve been keeping our eye on for the last couple of years … swing bowler, moves the ball quite a lot and he’s fairly smart with the way he bowls at the moment as well,” he said.

“He just seems pretty focused on his role, which is great to have with a kid … he’s like, ‘I’m going to bowl what the team needs, which is full and outside off’.”

Noah Brooks

Noah Brooks has made his BPCA A1 debut for Ocean Grove. Picture: Brad Fleet

The rising star made headlines to start the 2022-23 season, making his A-grade debut at the age of 13.

Brooks averaged 39.07 from 25 innings last season, tallying 547 runs with a high score of 64* across the under-13, one-day, C1 and School Sport Victoria competitions.

“He works so hard on his game, I don’t think he ever stops to be fair, even through the winter,” Roddis said.

“I remember … when we were going through lockdown … (he and his mum) were in isolation, his mum was giving him throw downs.”

Merric Platt

Still an under-17 player, Platt is coming off a superb season with the ball where took 20 wickets at 11.20 from 14 matches across B1, C1, one-day and under-17 cricket.

He is more than handy with the bat too, making an unbeaten 22 from 33 balls last Saturday batting at 10.

“He’s a handy left armer … he bowls really well and he bowls pretty well under pressure,” Roddis said.

Oliver Corby

Corby is a rising star at Ocean Grove, the tall bowler coming off a 22-wicket season across B1, C1 and under-17 cricket last campaign.

The season included three four-wicket hauls, highlighted by 4-9 against Anglesea in B-grade.

“That 4-9 that he took … he came on and took 4-9 at the death,” Roddis said.

“Ollie would be about 6” 4’ and I think he’s 16, so he’s got a bit of growing to do and as he gets a bit bigger he’ll just get faster as well.”

Armstrong Creek

Grace Jones

Armstrong Creek bowler Grace Jones. Picture: Mark Wilson

A rising leg spin bowler, Jones is set to represent Victoria in an under-19 side next month.

Along with playing A-grade with Armstrong Creek, the 18-year-old also shares her time with Essendon Maribyrnong Park in premier cricket.

Across 33 matches last season in the under-19 national championships, premier cricket and with Armstrong Creek, Jones took 39 wickets at 18.49.

“Played A-grade senior men’s cricket for multiple years now and continues to grow each and every week,” Armstrong Creek coach Daniel Maclean said.

“(She has left) some very good batsmen in the last few years looking quite silly at times.”

Barrabool

Lachlan Grigg

Fresh off a full season in B-grade, Grigg has cemented his spot in Barrabool’s A1 side this season, making 52 runs in three innings batting between 7 and 10.

His ability to make runs quickly batting down the order has impressed coach James Fisher.

“Lauchlan backs himself with the bat, he’s been coming in down the order with not a lot of time to get yourself set, but he’s backed himself and sort of gone at a run a ball, which … is really impressive,” Fisher said.

“He’s good in the field, good to have around the team so he’s going to be really good.”

Tully Searle

A wicket keeper/batsman in Barrabool’s under-17 and B1 sides, Searle has enjoyed a solid start to the season, making 80 runs in five innings.

Fisher envisions Searle being a player for the future at the club.

“He’s very receptive and he’s got a lot of confidence,” Fisher said.

“With a bit more hard work and that sort of thing, he’s going to be good in the next five to 10 years.”

Archer Jacques

Sharing his time with Barrabool’s under-17 and B1 sides, Jaques is another player to watch along with Searle.

The rising star played mostly under-17 and C1 cricket last season, however has made the jump to B-grade this campaign and made 30 runs in two innings thus far.

Rafael Salvado

Salvado proved across B1, C1 and under-17 competitions last season that he was more than capable with the ball, picking up 23 wickets at an average of 24.61.

His season included six games with two or more wickets, with best B-grade figures of 2-13 from six overs against Ocean Grove.

Jan Juc

Finn Bilston

Jan Juc coach Nick Hyden says the opening batter is technically “very organised”, and expects the 17 year old to dominate at the senior level for a long time.

Bilston has scored 76 runs across two innings in the BPCA B1 grade, averaging 38, and is playing in the side’s two-day A1 game against Barrabool, with a chance to bat on Saturday.

“(He) has a great understanding of batting for a young guy, capable of occupying the crease for long periods,” Hyden said.

Kai Powers

The 18-year-old fast bowler has an impressive ability to swing the ball both ways at a young age.

The tall bowler also gets good lift out of the wicket, and is a handy lower-order batter.

Powers took 2-11 in the B1 side against Barrabool before getting a call up to the A1 side, where he has made an undefeated 22 against Barwon Heads and bowled 12 overs for no wickets against Barrabool in round 6.

Anglesea

Darcy Elliott

Elliott is an opening bowler that plays in the senior side, who took six wickets in the 2021/22 grand final.

Coach Bryan Thomas believes he is coming along in “leaps and bounds” and is developing into a natural-born leader.

Elliott has already taken three wickets this season after snagging 19 last year.

BPCA A1: Anglesea v Barrabool. Anglesea bowler Darcy Elliott. Picture: Mike Dugdale

Simon Umbers

Already a centurion in the B1 side, Umbers will be hoping to replicate that form in the A1 team in 2022/23.

He has earned his opportunity to open the batting for Anglesea, he has started the season strongly with 112 runs in three innings at an average of 56 and a top score of 42.

Cricket at Anglesea BPCA A1: Anglesea v Jan Juc. Anglesea batsman Simon Umbers Picture: Mark Wilson

Noah Collins

A rising wicketkeeper in the B1 grade, coach Bryan Thomas sees Collins as the future keeper of the Anglesea line up.

Collins is also handy with a bat, making his senior debut last season, and averaged 19.3 runs in the B1 grade in 2021/22.

Thomas Eskrigge

A medium-pace bowler rising the ranks at Anglesea, Eskrigge is currently plying his trade in the B1 grade.

Eskrigge took 34 wickets across five different competitions in 2020/21, including 13 wickets in nine B1 grades.

He followed it up with 11 wickets in 2021/22, and has already taken two in three games so far this season.

Queenscliff

Lachie Kidd

Last year’s Ray Menzies medallist is unbelievably just 20 years old, and is only getting better.

Kidd scored 425 runs and took 17 wickets, including a top score of an undefeated 88 and best figures of 5-6 off 6.5 overs against St Leonard’s.

Coach Frank Mileto says he can “take the game away with both bat and ball”, and is one of the best fielders in the competition.

BPCA A1: Ocean Grove v Queenscliff. Lachlan Kidd batting for Queenscliff.

Jordan Monahan

At just 15 years old, Monahan has a bright future at Queenscliff.

Mileto believes he is “going to be a superstar for us in years to come”, claiming he is mature beyond his years and will play consistent seniors cricket.

He has taken three wickets so far this season, after 14 in the A1 side last year.

Monahan is also averaging 26.3 runs across the A1 and under-17s competition so far this year.

Inverleigh

Kobe George

The top order batter has enjoyed a strong start to the season in A1 grade, scoring 118 in four games so far.

George has already posted a high score of 56 this season, and is on track to surpass last year’s total runs of 170 pretty quickly.

He has recorded two other 50s in the past for Inverleigh, both in the under-15s grade in 2020/21.

Logan Haberfield

Haberfield is a handy wicket-keeper batter that has enjoyed a good career at Inverleigh.

He bats at seven in the A1 side, scoring 37 runs to date, and has taken four catches to start this season.

Still eligible to play under-17s cricket, Haberfield has a bright future ahead of him.

Brayden Orr

Orr made his senior debut this season, and is bowling first change in the A1 side.

He is yet to take a wicket at the top level, but he has only gone for 49 runs off 17 overs,

St Leonard’s

Cooper Ward

Ward has returned for his first full season since 2017-18 and has slotted into St Leonard’s A1 side.

Playing for Ocean Grove back then, the now 20-year-old Ward made 283 runs at an average of 47.17 and took nine wickets at 15.33 across under-15 and C-grade competitions.

“He’s had a few years off cricket ... and he’s playing A-grade now,” club stalwart Gary Egan said.

“(He’s) an all-rounder, just a medium pace bowler and a solid middle-order bat.”

Ethan Coleman

Coleman has enjoyed a strong start to his first ever season in St Leonard’s seconds, the leg spin bowler taking four wickets thus far at 16.75.

“(He’s a) leg spin bowler, showing a lot of promise,” Egan said

“We see a lot of upside with him, we’re hoping that he’ll play A-grade throughout the season at stages.”

Thomas Pepyat

A medium pace bowler, 14-year-old Pepyat has made his way into St Leonard’s one-day side, leaking just 25 runs in eight overs last weekend against Collendina.

“(A) lot of upside with this kid, very solid with the bat as well and just one of the ones we’re really starting to work on at training and build him into something,” Egan said.

Originally published as BPCA top young cricketers in 2022/23 season revealed