By David Nagel
Kooweerup star Luke McMaster is no longer knocking down the door to become the best player in the CCCA Premier Division after the class all-rounder claimed his first Terry Stephenson Medal at the Tooradin Sports Club on Sunday.
McMaster was tied on 15 votes with Cardinia opener Alex Nooy heading into the final round of the season, but his four wickets and 42 runs – on day-one against Devon Meadows – saw him poll three final-round votes to claim victory.
The recently-turned 26-year-old has been a genuine contender for the last three years; finishing top-10 last year behind Pakenham champion Chris Smith after a runner-up finish to Lions’ skipper Dale Tormey in 2023.
McMaster also tied for third behind Smith in 2022; with his breakthrough victory on Sunday thoroughly deserved.
The hard-hitting all-rounder was a Kooweerup junior, a local boy, before his talents were recognised in year-12; earning a cricket scholarship at Haileybury.
That elevation led to a connection with Dandenong, where he won a premiership in the lower grades in his three years at the club.
But it was a journey that never reached the expected great heights due to a back injury that stopped him in his tracks.
He was a batter at Kooweerup as a junior, but more a bowler at Haileybury and Dandenong.
He couldn’t bowl for two years, and was only batting here and there.
The last time he broke down was the final straw and he decided to move back home to Denhams Road.
He originally returned as a batter, but his bowling came back and became his predominant feature once again.
McMaster returned to Kooweerup for the 2018/19 season and has gradually improved his game with bat and ball.
Overall, in his Premier Division career at Kooweerup, he has made 2515 runs at an average of 30.67, with three hundreds and 14 half-centuries.
But its over the last four seasons that he has really started to blossom, with 1974 of those runs coming at the much-improved average of 40.29.
All of his milestone innings, apart from two fifties, have come in the last four years.
With the ball he has taken 142 wickets at an average of 19.47 to prove him the ultimate all-round package.
McMaster was chuffed after placing his first ‘Stevo’ around his neck.
“It’s great, obviously a little bit surprising; a few of the other boys had pretty good years and I thought I was a little bit sub-par at times, but some big games got me on top in the end,” he said.
“Some great players have won this award in the past and it’s great to have my name on that list.”
When McMaster played well he dominated, with six three-vote performances.
While he considers that side of his game a strength; he also acknowledges that it does provide room for improvement.
“When I played well this year I got the three votes; there were no twos and ones in there, but when I don’t play at my best I get zero,” he said.
“That’s probably a weakness of mine to be honest; I want to be consistent all the time and playing well and polling well…and not being the best player one week then the worst player a week later.
“Obviously I did a lot of good things this season but need to fill the gaps in the middle.
“I was a little bit disappointed this year; no hundreds, a few good fifties, but I was pretty consistent with the ball.
“I took wickets frequently, so the ball was there all year, but finding that consistency with the bat is where I can probably take my game to the next level.
“But overall, I’m very happy right now.”
McMaster said the ongoing form of his captain and opening-partner Chris Bright, and the recruitment of Shiran Rathnayake, had taken the pressure off him somewhat.
“Bringing guys like Silk (Rathnayake) into the team has been great for the club, the amount of runs he has made, and it makes my life easier when you’ve got Wombat (Bright) and Silk at the other end,” he said.
“The club as a whole is moving in the right direction and we’re still thereabouts; our three best players are nearly the three best players in the comp, so it’s a great club to be a part of.”
Kooweerup’s first medal winner since Jess Mathers in 2017/18 said he hadn’t even considered a medal win until recently.
“To be honest, a week ago I didn’t even think about it, didn’t think I was in the conversation for it; but went through the results a little bit and thought I might have a few three-vote games,” he said.
“There have been a lot of consistent players and the previous guys that have won it have all had pretty good years.
“So it’s an honour to now be in that category.”
His next focus is a blockbuster semi-final match-up with reigning-premier Tooradin.
“It’s a massive test this week, we see Tooradin as one of the best in it; if not the best in it, and to be the best we have to beat the best just to make it into a grand final,” he said.
“But we’ll back ourselves in this week.”
McMaster wanted to thank his club mates at Denhams Road for their unwavering support through his cricket journey.
“Koowee as a whole; they’ve developed me into the person I am today and the player I am, they’ve backed my skills and I’m so proud to be part of our cricket club.”
TERRY STEPHENSON MEDAL
PREMIER Luke McMaster Kooweerup 18
ERIC WINTER MEDAL
DISTRICT Ben Perry Carlisle Park 11
Devon Gabriel-Brown Officer 11
A GRADE Ryan Little Cardinia 21
B GRADE Luke Townsend Tooradin 13
Shane Webster Clyde 13
C GRADE Emmanuel Megee Officer 19
D GRADE Andrew Ferrier Emerald 20
E GRADE Krishmin Roshen Melbourne Sixers 21
ONE DAY Robert Gittens Carlisle Park 17
T20 Premier Sahan Perera Kooweerup
T20 District Talwinder Prince PUT
TERRY STEPHENSON MEDAL – TOP 10
Luke McMaster Kooweerup 18
Alex Nooy Cardinia 15
Yohan Arumadura Cardinia 15
Cal O’Hare Tooradin 13
Shiran Rathnayake Kooweerup 11
Josh Lownds Tooradin 10
Chris Bright Kooweerup 9
Jason Williams Pakenham 9
Tyler Evans Tooradin 8
Ankush Rana Clyde 7
Michael Vandort Clyde 7
Dom Paynter Pakenham 7
Bradey Welsh Cardinia 7
