By Jonty Ralphsmith
With half of the Dandenong District Cricket Association season already under the belt, Star News journalist JONTY RALPHSMITH names his best XI from the Turf 2 competition.
1: Tyler Clark (Beaconsfield): Has formed an ultra-sturdy right-hand, left-hand opening combination with skipper Mark Cooper at the top of the order, putting a high price on his wicket which has him as the top Turf Two run-scorer to date. Is yet to be dismissed cheaply, with a century and three scores above 40 to his name already this season. Not only has he himself scored runs, but his untroubled defence and unflappable nature has helped Beaconsfield bat big this season, others often cashing in on a fatiguing bowling line-up.
2: Dishan Malalasekera (Parkfield): The sole player who has scored 50+ on three occasions makes Malalasekera a lock – despite also getting out for less than five in his other three hits. A calm strike rotator, it’s no coincidence that two of those half-centuries have led to Parkfield’s only wins of the season to date. Against a strong Cranbourne attack, he played an important hand either side of a frustrating rain delay, and in his final dig of 2022, Malalasekera guided the Bears’ run chase against Keysborough to lift Parkfield off the bottom of the table.
3: Brent Patterson (Heinz Southern Districts): Like when AFL All-Australian selectors put midfielders on the wing, or when national cricketing selectors bulk Australia’s middle order up with top order BBL hitters, the perennial riddle when selecting these sorts of teams is getting players in their correct position. It’s true that Patterson opens for Heinz Southern Districts (HSD) but he fits in nicely at number three as a player that takes it up to the bowlers with more free-flowing scoring and boundary hitting than the top two. All five of his digs have yielded scores between 27 and 50, including two unbeaten knocks, underlining his consistency.
4: Ashan Madushanka (Beaconsfield): Madushanka, said to be a quiet, unassuming character around the Beacy changerooms, he slots in nicely at first drop for his club and has multiple gears he’s able to go through. Doesn’t get many opportunities early given the strength of the opening partnership, but when he did against Keysborough on a quick outfield, he capitalised. Got 96, before getting royally barbecued, but he set up the game in the same way a century would. Loves a cover drive and is technically sound, which he showed in that knock and a couple of other cameos throughout the season.
5: Himesh Galhenage Don (Lyndale): As much as for his statistical output, Galhenage Don earns a spot on the list for the fear factor he injects into opposition line-ups with his crisp ball-striking. All you need to do is listen to how high a price the other Turf Two teams place on his wicket. After a quickfire 77 against Cranbourne, the hard-hitter got a century off 29 balls against Keysborough, and for good measure got 32 at a strike rate of better than 200 against HSD to finish the year. Doesn’t need long to take the game away from the opposition and if he doesn’t go big he goes home, so you know you’ll get entertainment if you watch him.
6: Peter Sweeney (Cranbourne) This list wouldn’t be complete without at least one Sweeney. Seems ridiculous to have him so low in the batting order given his forceful reputation with the blade, but Sweeney is more so in this particular side because of his tight left-arm orthodox bowling. Leads the wickets tally in Turf Two with 19, nabbing multiple scalps and bowling essentially his full complement of overs in all but one game. With the Cranbourne quicks under-delivering at times in the early rounds of the season, his ability to slow things up and get through the middle overs has taken on a new importance. Perhaps the batting hasn’t had the consistency of some other years, yet he remains in the top 15 run scorers in the competition, demonstrating the high benchmark he sets.
7: Triyan De Silva (Heinz Southern Districts): There was much intrigue about how Triyan would fare in 2022-23 after THAT game last season and although he’s yet to replicate that, De Silva has still been a picture of consistency for HSD – and he deserves extra points given his team is yet to play at home yet! Whether with bat or ball, De Silva has always done what his team needs of him. Has 172 runs at 57 including a half-century and 10 wickets at 20 including a five-fa.
8: Matt Collett (Cranbourne): Started as opener for Cranbourne before being utilised further down the order, to good affect against Lyndale and Narre Warren when he made 37 and an unbeaten 34 respectively. A dangerous striker, he deepens Cranbourne’s batting order but is this season yet to have that big score that he often threatens to get. Regardless, his impeccable keeping exceeds the level and in itself warrants selection. He has six catches and two stumpings so far.
9: Ryan Hendy (Doveton): Multiple opposition teams have highlighted that Doveton is a unique team to face and Hendy, a tweaker, opening the bowling is part of the reason why. In a down-and-up first part of the season for Doveton, where players were in and out for various reasons, Hendy led Doveton’s resurgence. He got 14 of his 15 wickets, including two five-wicket hauls in the last three games of 2022, and it’s no coincidence that is when Doveton started to look like a team capable of winning. 5/15 off 12 against Parkfield was the highlight and in the last game of the season, he got five wickets, and bowled 12 of the 30 overs, which nearly saw Doveton defend less than 100 against Lyndale.
10: Ryan Patterson (Heinz Southern Districts): Started off the season in sensational fashion, albeit against an understrength Doveton, picking up five wickets, and he’s remained the leader of the bowling attack since then. Is captain Craig Hookey’s trusty first change bowler, picking up at least one wicket each game and multiple wickets on all but one occasion. His economy rate of 3.58 doesn’t jump off the page but it’s more than handy given he often bowls at the death. The ability to close down an innings late was on show in his last game of 2022 when he picked up three late wickets – and four in total – against Lyndale.
11: Jake Cutting (Beaconsfield): A somewhat left-field selection given he has only five wickets, Cutting earns a spot for his dependability. His skipper knows he can lock the opening bowler in for seven economical overs – he’s yet to concede more than 25 runs in a spell – because he puts the ball in challenging areas. In a league dominated by spinners, Cutting’s seam-up options, although not express pace, are a crucial ingredient for Beaconsfield.
