Ships name best and fairest

Cricket

LVDCL BY LIAM

DURKIN

TRAFALGAR Cricket Club heldits senior vote count on Saturday.

Unsurprisingly, Rhys Holdsworth was the runaway winner of the AGrade count, taking the Richard Errington Medal after his 720-run homeand-away season.

Youngster James Pace won the BGrade best and fairest, and CGrade captain Brent Claridge made it three consecutive third grade gongs.

Votes for Trafalgar CricketClubbest and fairests are completed after every game on three separate 3,2,1 cards by the umpire, opposition captain and Trafalgar captain.

Previously,only one card completed by the opposition captain was issued per game, however the system was changed in 2019 after it became clear some votes were cast based on personal feelings.

Holdsworth tallied 69 votes out of apossible 108 to win his sixth Errington Medal.

Long-standing Trafalgar officials said they couldn't recall amore dominant count by one player.

While making 720 runs would be quite afeat in any circumstance, to do it in aseason that featured four washouts was quite remarkable.

The left hander, who handed the captaincy over to Aydan Connollythis season, has put his form down to acombination of factors, most notably, approaching slow bowlers withamuch moreattacking mindset. Not having the added responsibilityof captaincy has also more than likely played apart.

Pace took 21 wickets in BGrade,the second-most of any playerinthe competition, and was rewarded late in the season with AGrade selection.

Still only bottom-age Under 16s,the swingbowler and hard-hittingbatsman looks to have abright future in the game.

In an interrupted season where only 11 physical games were played due to weather and forfeits, Claridge took 13 wickets and made 144 runs in CGrade

The Ships seconds and thirds faced exciting finishes to the end of the regular season, needing to win the last game to make finals.

Those results did not come through, but awin to AGrade meanta top-two finish and choice of venue for the semi-final.

Given BGrade and CGrade can no longer win the flag, it looks like the incumbent secretary will be going around again next season.

He has said he will do it until the club wins all three in one season.

The TCC firstgrade best and fairest is named in honour of the Ships first life member, Richard Errington.

Errington was one of the finest players the club has produced, playing in six first grade premierships for Trafalgar, scoring three centuries during the 1927/28 Country Week, and captainingCollingwood firsts in Victorian Premier Cricket.

The bat usedbyErrington during his Country Week exploits is on display in the TCC clubrooms.

Traralgon Westtook afew wickets in the last session for their troubles. Ben Edebohls was the pick of the bowlers,sending down 20 overs for figures of 3/23.

Most of Trafalgar'sbowlerswere able to put their feet up for the day, and should be fresh for the Saturday/Sunday assignment this weekend.

Afterrolling with amakeshift openingcombination the lasttwo games duetocircumstance, Trafalgarhas already confirmed they will more than likely revert to their regular battingorder for the semi, meaning Aiden George will go from four backtoopening,and the rest will shuffle as needed.

The Ships top order told the fill-on opener postgame "while we appreciate your efforts, we aren't waiting 40 overs to get ahit".

As this game was essentially adress rehearsal for the semi, both clubs will take some mental notes into the cutthroat match.

Trafalgar has reason to be confident, and heads in withaseven gamewinning streak under their belt.

With this however comes pressure of adifferent kind, and theEagles might looktotakeadvantage of this.

After all, every win brings you one game closer to your next loss.

CENTRALS wonthe least consequential match of the round.

The Lions hadthe minor premiership sewn up before the roundstarted,and had their match with Jeeralang-Boolarra all but won after chalking up more than 400 on Day 1.

Withlittle to no point of going for an outright, Centrals looked to get the game over with as early as possible.

However, avery good wicket and quick outfield at Apex Park made for plenty of runs, and the Panthers ended up batting out virtually the entire day.

Although they didn't hold on for adraw, they did take it to the 85th over.

While probably even the visitors knew they were never going to get close to making 400, they at least put somethingofatotal on the board, ending with205.

Nila Thillekarathna finishedhis season with a half-century, scoring 57, while afew players chipped in with 30s.

Hasitha Hewawasam, Lankesh Samaraweera and Lachlan Smith all madesomething of an impression, pulling the visitors out of asituation that looked troublesome at 3/42.

The partnership betweenThillekarathna and Hewawasam proved the most fruitful, netting 67 runs.

Unfortunately for Jeeralang-Boolarra, they fell either side of one another, which meant Centrals stayed further ahead in the game.

The Lions best bowlers were Tye Hourigan, who took 3/45, Joe Stuart (2/57 off 22.3) and Marc Fenech (2/32).

Understandably,asthis game willbeall but forgotten in aweeks’ time,itisbelieved someinthe Jeeralang-Boolarra camp started their post-season celebrations well before the match.

Latrobe Valley District Cricket League

AGRADE SEMI FINALS

Saturday, March11, Sunday, March12

Centrals vs Mirboo North at ApexPark

Trafalgar vs Traralgon West at Moe Racecourse

West bowling:I Zafar 1-0-0-0, RFalla

BEdebohls 20.1-9-23-3, HKimpton 6-4-3-0, SRasool 4-0-5-0, BHowe12-5-14-1, T Fitch 14-4-32-0, AThow9-1-40-1

Centralsfirstinnings 418

JeeralangBoolarra first innings

BMcCormack. cRawson bFenech 12

BDuffy bFenech 1

NEdirisinghe cHourigan bStuart. 11 bowling: MFenech 18-8-32-2, RWebber 4-2-3-0, RHefer 12-5-16-0, THourigan16-3-45-3, JStuart22.3-6-57-2, MRawson 7-3-23-1, LSpeairs 5-0-20-0

NThillekarathna bHourigan.

Photograph Supplied