By Marcus Uhe
After a professional playing career spanning just shy of 20 years, Jeevan Mendis felt he needed a break from cricket.
The 2022/23 Alan Wookey medallist and his family moved to Melbourne from his home country of Sri Lanka in late 2021 as the social and economic circumstances deteriorated there, with the youngest members of the Mendis family keen to play for the Narre South junior side.
But Jeevan himself was comfortable not participating, as he eyed entering the coaching pathway system.
“I thought I had had enough of playing cricket, but a friend still asked me to come and play for Narre South,” Mendis said.
“All my life I was playing cricket and I’d had enough with cricket.
“I just wanted to go there and enjoy myself, because I’ve been playing cricket from a younger age with no holidays, 24 hours a day.
“I thought that my era had finished and I wanted to give something to the younger generation, my knowledge and experience.”
With the connection to the club through his kids, Narre South coach Matthew Brooks saw an opportunity.
“It didn’t quite work out last year before Christmas, we couldn’t quite work it out, but we got on the front-foot and spoke with him early doors this year and it was a great result that we could get him to the club,” Brooks said.
“He lives in the Narre South area so logistically it was a really good fit for us and him.
“To get someone of that calibre in the doors is a great opportunity.”
It didn’t take long for relationships to develop; a new one between Jeevan and the club, while reigniting the old flame he had with the game.
The end result would see the former Sri Lankan international chase-down Springvale South’s Ryan Quirk and stave-off a late charge from Leigh Booth to be crowned the best player in the Turf 1 competition, and be presented with the medal by Alan Wookey himself at the Dandenong Club on Sunday afternoon.
Quirk had made all the running earlier in the season, having flown out of the blocks with two half-centuries, a hundred and 46 not out before the Christmas break.
With six votes available per match, the count was up for grabs with Mendis on 27, Quirk on 26 and Booth on 25, all within striking distance with one round remaining.
Mendis polled four votes in the final round against St Mary’s, taking 3/45 off his 12 overs, to stretch his lead, while Quirk and Booth did not poll in round 14.
“From the first session in preseason we knew we had something special,” Brooks said.
“The one-day format suits his game and I think with the two-day stuff originally meant to be played, that would have been a hell of a lot better for us having him in that format.
“It’s sort of a shame that those games got lost, but straight away we knew that we had a player on our hands.”
In his first contest, against an excellent Hallam Kalora Park side, he made 50 off 53 balls while his contemporaries all struggled.
By his third match against Parkmore, he had made a serious statement; 116, with seven sixes and nine fours, and 6/27 with the ball.
For Brooks, that game will stand out in his memory.
“When he had just passed the hundred, he reverse-swept the opening bowler from Parkmore for six, which was a bit of, ‘how do you do that?’ moment,” he said.
“He’s loved it from day one…I think the family club atmosphere, he really relates to.
“He’s got three boys, they have training twice a week and they play on Friday nights and Saturday mornings, and he loves watching his boys play.
“I think the general easy going, family nature is something that he’s really enjoyed.
“Obviously the boys take it seriously but we all see that light-hearted stuff in the changerooms during the week which he really enjoys, which hopefully keeps him around the group for as long as possible.”
Two more half-centuries later in the year, one in a near-upset of Springvale South and 56 in an away victory against North Dandenong, displayed his class against some of the better opponents and bowling attacks that DDCA Turf 1 had to offer.
The clash with the Bloods, in which he hit four sixes and five fours against an attack featuring Josh Dowling, Blade Baxter, Yoshan Kumara and Jarryd Straker, came after spinning a web to snare 4/33 with the ball.
It was the consistency with which he bamboozled opponents that shone through when reflecting on his season; he took wickets in every game to finish with 25 at 16.7, topping the charts in Turf 1.
He harbours ambitions to get into the professional coaching ranks and took some of the younger players at the Lions under his wing, offering guidance and one-on-one sessions with spin bowlers Ethan Kolaritsch and Josh Gibbs.
“He’s really done some work with them and taken them out to the centre-wicket and done some spot-bowling with them,” Brooks said.
“All the players overall have fed-off him a lot, he’s a very approachable person and the boys try to pick his brain every time they can.
“After he did his training he did take a couple out onto the ground and did some bowling with the ‘keeper, trialling new balls and plans.
“A little bit in the nets but not much, more in the bowling side of things he took players away and worked on that side of things.”
Mendis himself said he appreciated the honour, and thanked the club for giving him the opportunity.
“I’m happy and grateful that the DDCA selected me as the best player for this year,” the 40-year-old said.
“I really enjoyed the people from Narre South, the players, supporting staff and the committee, they really give me a lot of support.
“It’s very comfortable and you can do whatever you want.
“Your mind is relaxed, your body is relaxed.
“I want to thank them for making me feel comfortable.”
While the Lions would ultimately fall short of qualifying for finals action, it will be a season to remember for all involved at Narre South.
WOOKEY MEDAL TOP 10
Jeevan Mendis (Narre South) – 31 votes
Ryan Quirk (Springvale South) – 26
Leigh Booth (Hallam Kalora Park) – 25
Hadigallage Jayaratne (Buckley Ridges) – 21
Jonty Jenner (Narre South) – 20
Michael Davies (Buckley Ridges) – 20
Jake Hancock (Berwick) – 19
Jordan Hammond (Hallam Kalora Park) – 19
Blade Baxter (Springvale South) – 17
Jordan Wyatt (Springvale South) – 16.
