By JARROD POTTER
BREAKING his league medal hoodoo – after consecutive runner-up finishes in the Victorian Premier Cricket’s Jack Ryder Medal – Cranbourne’s Matt Chasemore earned the DDCA’s highest individual honour on Wednesday night.
The Eagles’ all-rounder flew to the top of the Alan Wookey Medal table late in the 11-round vote-count at the Dandenong Club.
After a slow start to the 2015-’16 Turf 1 season, Chasemore flew home; accumulating 428 runs and 16 wickets in his return to Cranbourne and club cricket for the first time in 17 years.
He racked up the votes on the way to 32 for the night, claiming three maximum vote-getting performances against Narre Warren (Round 5) Buckley Ridges (Round 9) and Dandenong West (Round 11), to earn his first Wookey Medal.
Berwick skipper Jarrod Goode (29 votes) flew in under the radar and almost pinched the medal from Chasemore, taking the lead in the final round after a five-wicket haul against Lyndale.
But Chasemore regained his mantle soon after – taking the maximum from a swashbuckling 75 against Dandenong West in the season finale.
“I just tried to put myself in the game – whether its bat or ball – try to execute the skill and I’ve been fortunate this year,” Chasemore said.
“It’s good – a little bit embarrassing as you would think the players that get recruited straight out of grade cricket should win them.
“But it’s great to be back in the DDCA and hopefully I can forge a little career in the next 10 years and see what I can make of it.”
It was an exercise in slowing down on and off the field for Chasemore, after a duck and a three to start off his campaign, as he needed readjust his line-and-length and mindset to combat the local standard.
But he found his rhythm and was trading blows with the opposition after that to help Cranbourne finish second in the competition.
Much of Cranbourne’s success boiled down to Chasemore and team-mate, also four-time Wookey Medalist, Steve Spoljaric (27), who traded blows throughout the count but in the end Spolly fell just short of another addition to his already extraordinary trophy cabinet.
It was a complete night for the Casey clubs as Berwick’s Ryan Crawford (26), Heinz Southern Districts Michael Davies (22) and Narre Warren’s Kaushalya Weeraratne (22) rounded out the top five.
At the halfway mark Buckley Ridges’ import Susantha Pradeep (17 votes) had taken the lead, but couldn’t match the start to his inaugural DDCA season, while Malinga Bandara (18) was the highest placed of the Dandenong-area players.
Chasemore now sets his sights on Saturday’s Turf 1 grand final against Springvale South and thinks the side is primed and ready for a title tilt.
“We’re a massive chance and so we should be – we’ve got two great grade cricketers who are playing and the kids – the amount of time I’ve spent with them this year has been phenomenal and they’re Cherry Ripe and ready to go,” Chasemore said.
“Saturday’s game just proved that – got off to another good start and the bowling attack is second to none so we’re pretty confident and why shouldn’t we be.”
Being home matters just as much as glory for the all-rounder who is keen to pay off the faith Cranbourne has placed in him.
“It’s real rewarding – a lot of pressure at the start of the year and I put that on myself coming back to the home club,” Chasemore said.
“Obviously you get paid well and you need to perform.
“I suppose when nights like tonight (Wednesday) happen – and last week I won the club medal during the week – and we’re playing off in a grand final … so I’m pretty sure I’m halfway to repaying the club and Saturday’s going to be one of those days where I can repay them fully.”
DDCA TURF 1
ALAN WOOKEY MEDAL TOP 10
Matt Chasemore – Cranbourne – 32
Jarrod Goodes – Berwick – 29
Steve Spoljaric – Cranbourne – 27
Ryan Crawford – Berwick – 26
Michael Davies – Heinz – 22
Kaushalya Weeraratne – Narre Warren – 22
Jordan Hammond – Hallam KP – 21
Jack Williams – Berwick _ 20
Trevor Davies – Heinz – 18
Malinga Bandara – Springvale South – 18
