By Tyler Lewis
Talented all-rounder Matt Wilson has collected Dandenong Cricket Club’s ultimate individual honour.
In his first season at the club after playing 48 First XI matches for Carlton, Wilson has claimed the prestigious McArdle Medal, a peer voted valuable player award.
The award is in honour of Dandenong – and Vic Premier Cricket – legend Brendan McArdle, who compiled a whopping 9281 runs and took 271 wickets across his 380-match career.
Wilson won the award off the back of 29 wickets @ 20.59 and 276 runs @ 23.
In the middle of a coming-of-age season Wilson spoke to the Journal, revealing the opportunity, responsibility as vice-captain and chance to lead an attack all brought the best out of him.
“I guess coming down to Dandenong, we were obviously lacking bowlers, given how many we’d lost from last year’s first’s team,” he said in January.
“I guess I am taking on a bit more responsibility down at Dandenong, being more of a frontline bowler.
“I am one player with a bit more experience down at the Club, so I feel I need to put a bit more of a foot forward for the team and take more responsibility.
“The leadership was a bit of a surprise, but it is something to look forward to that I could potentially become a future captain of the club in years to come.
“Like any player in the First XI, they all want to play higher honours.
“The goal has always been there to reach my potential as high as possible and with the opportunity now (at Dandenong), it is only my fault if I can’t grab that opportunity.
“I can’t blame opportunity; the opportunity is there… it is all me now.”
Wilson joins modern greats James Nanopoulos, Tom Donnell, Brett Forsyth and Warren Ayres as a winner of the McArdle Medal.
