By Jonty Ralphsmith
Star News Journalist Jonty Ralphsmith takes a look at the star performers that were selected in the DDCA Turf 2 Team of the Year.
1. Tyler Clark (Beaconsfield): An automatic selection, the right hander has only once been dismissed for fewer than 40 runs in a 45-over game this season from 11 hits. That run includes five half-centuries and one century as he has time and again been the batter who wears bowlers down by rotating the strike and makes them bowl to him. That he has been able to have this run in just his second season on turf, and at Perc Allison Reserve – sometimes a trying wicket conducive to spin bowling – further underlines the quality of his form. Skipper Mark Cooper has known him for a while and has praised the expansive shots which have come into his game this season, with Clark acting as an elder head in the batting order and showing an ability to go through the gears as required.
2. Yohan Arumadura (Keysborough): Has 583 runs at 45 this season including a century and four 50s. Is a crisp ball striker and has the temperament to go big, evidenced by a 169 against Narre Warren. Has emerged as a key contributor for Keysy this season, given Christo Otto has been quieter. He’s confident in his approach and goes from ball one, taking advantage of the flat Rowley Allen surface. Can also contribute with the ball, having taken 15 wickets including a five-wicket haul.
3. Mick Sweeney (Cranbourne): The only batter in the DDCA Turf 2 competition with more than one century this season, the experienced Cranbourne skipper has stood up exactly when his team has needed him. As a leader, he’s seemed to remain calm while the Eagles tinkered with the XI and on multiple occasions were mightily close to dropping out of finals contention. A move up the order clearly assisted him as both those knocks came from number three. As a batter, he’s organised and tidy with all the shots, uses his feet as necessary against spin and has the experience to withstand pressure.
4. Brent Patterson (Heinz Southern Districts): Patterson has been a staple at the top of the order for Heinz Southern Districts, passing 20 in all but one of his innings this home-and-away season to see off the opening spell and protect the middle-order. Four half-centuries and 398 runs is the most consistent year he’s had, having previously passed 50 but been inconsistent in-between.
5. Peter Sweeney (Cranbourne): So often Cranbourne’s success recently has been reflected in how well the Sweeneys have performed, yet Pete has performed all year, including early on when Cranbourne was struggling. You can bank that he’ll bowl 12 overs at an economy rate of less than 2.5 with his left-arm orthodox and will probably pick up a pole. He mostly bowls through the middle, but he also has a spurt upfront which creates doubt in opposition’s plans – they’ll either lose an early wicket or be behind their desired scoring rate with the ball not coming onto the bat. As for his batting, he has 364 runs at 45 including several key knocks. From a knock in the boiling heat, a big partnership to get his brother back among the runs, and multiple innings crucial in guiding his team home, he’s batted as the situation has required this season.
6. Zach Allen (Narre Warren): The hard-hitting Narre Warren opener is rewarded for his 371-run season where he has consistently got his side off to flyers and spread the field and put pressure back onto bowlers. Has three half-centuries and three further scores of more than 40 in what has been another strong season for Allen.
7. Matt Collett (Cranbourne): Started up the top of the order before finding his niche as a middle-order hitter. It’s as much the runs he’s scored this year as the faith that Cranbourne has in him to perform the swashbuckling finishing role that has Collett in the top six. He’s scored 150 runs from limited opportunity, including four scores between 20 and 40 in the middle-order. That he has opened in the past – albeit, to try to get his team off to a flyer rather than prod and defend – shows there’s faith in his batting if he needs to resuscitate an innings with a counterattacking knock. But if Cranbourne is on top in a final, he’s the sort of player who can hammer home the momentum and bury the opposition with five to ten overs of crisp ball striking. It’d be hard to argue there’s any better ‘keepers in the competition, either, so he’s the ideal package.
8. Ryan Patterson (Heinz Southern Districts): There might have been a Patterson family protest if we didn’t find room for at least one of the two HSD boys in the team! Ryan has led the young bowling attack with his right arm-quicks this season claiming 33 scalps, picking up multiple wickets in all but two games. Getting 5/8, albeit against an undermanned Doveton, in his first game of the season gave him confidence which he has carried on since. It’s elevated him to the top tier of the competition after being a solid contributor in the previous three seasons.
9. Surien Silva (Lyndale): His 30 wickets just gets him over the line despite an expensive economy rate. Those breakthroughs have been crucial for Lyndale, a batter-dominant team out-performing expectations this season. Got on a roll against HSD, and some of his victims include Mark Cooper, Brent Patterson, Travis D’Souza and Christo Otto underlining that he can be a weapon.
10. Ryan Hendy (Doveton): Let’s give him another accolade because…why not? Was showered with praise from all and sundry when he hung them up in Doveton’s final home game of the year last week and he certainly goes out on top. Opened the bowling for Doveton, varying his speed with aptitude to make it difficult for batters and didn’t let up in bowling at batters. Even with an injury making things difficult physically in the last few weeks of his career, he still found a way. From 10 matches he went wicketless once – and claimed at least four wickets in each of the five matches surrounding that aberration, though. Was a big reason why Doveton was stronger than its ladder position suggested with ball in hand. His ability to force the big shot up the other end oft-highlighted by skipper Nathan Wilson.
11. Rajika Fernando: (Lyndale): Is one that his captain can bank on keeping it tight for Lyndale through the middle, with batters generally struggling to get a read of him. While most teams see him out, teams who have looked to go after him generally are punished more heavily in the wickets column by a man who has gone wicketless just once this season.
12. Mark Cooper (Beaconsfield) (12th Man): Is the ultimate all-round package. It’s known in cricket circles how much of a culture-enhancer bringing ‘Coops’ into the club can be and it’s something that several Tigers have highlighted. The club is less segregated, the First XI much more aligned and united with the rest of the club. There’s an organised way Beaconsfield go about it on-field with everyone seeming to know their roles and then there’s what he has brought from a skills point-of-view. Cooper opened with Clark at Kooweerup and they’ve rekindled the partnership famously in the Dandenong District Turf 2 competition, averaging 63 before the fall of the first wicket. Having a left-hand, right-hand combination is a clear benefit. As a leggie, he controls the middle-overs well, extracting variation and pressure from the pitch.
OTHERS AROUND THE MARK
Beaconsfield seam bowler Callan Tout sets the tone upfront for his team and wouldn’t have been out-of-place in the Team of the Year. He was recognised by getting named in the DDCA representative side to take on the Victorian Turf Cricket Association team in an exhibition game in February, as was Triyan De Silva. If the team contained more players who bat in the middle-order for their club, De Silva, an all-rounder from HSD would have been in hot contention. Parkfield opener Dishan Malalasekara was a steady head all season, using his experience at a higher level to step up with Matt Goodier playing fewer games this season. Harsaroup Singh has developed into a consistent contributor for the Eagles, taking pressure off the Sweeney boys. Wicketkeeper Girish Chopra had some handy knocks with the bat for Lyndale, all-rounder Kevin Seth has received praise around the league as a potential breakout star, and Parkfield’s Travis D’Souza is always an important asset.
