By Marcus Uhe
Star News DDCA Turf 1 reporter MARCUS UHE takes a close look at the players that gave Springvale South back-to-back titles on Saturday in the 2022/23 grand final against Buckley Ridges at Arch Brown Reserve. Marcus kicks off his analysis with opener Mitch Forsyth.
MITCH FORSYTH
Matches: 15
Runs: 372
Batting average: 28.6
Highest score: 149
A mainstay at the top of the order, Forsyth formed a formidable opening partnership with Ryan Quirk throughout the season to provide the critical solid foundation in one-day cricket. Crunched his maiden hundred against St Mary’s in round 10 to finish 149 not out and was excellent in the field, taking a number of difficult catches in the finals series.
JORDAN MACKENZIE
Matches: 4
Runs: 80
Batting average: 20
Highest score: 41
Wickets: 2
Bowling average: 8
Best bowling: 2/16
The opportunity arose when Quirk fell to injury and the right-hander took his opportunity well, with important knocks in the preliminary finals and grand final in pressure situations. Compiled an excellent year in the reserves, with 330 runs at 41, and had the faith of everyone when asked to fill the Quirk-sized hole at the top of the order.
JORDAN WYATT
Matches: 15
Runs: 467
Batting average: 31.1
Highest score: 81
Handled the captaincy duties brilliantly, making aggressive bowling changes in the games where he led to change the course of the games when required. With the bat, it was another solid year for the powerful ball-striker, highlighted by his 81 against Buckley Ridges in round 12 and four consecutive half-centuries between round five to eight.
CAM FORSYTH
Matches: 14
Runs: 395
Batting Average: 43.9
Highest score: 70
A terrific result for the club in being able to welcome a talent such as his into the fold, having started the year at Dandenong. Showed his class when he provided a calm head on a number of occasions in the middle order and had the honour of hitting the winning runs to seal the grand final victory.
JACKSON SKETCHER
Matches: 12
Runs: 204
Batting average: 18.5
Highest score: 59
Wickets: 15
Bowling average: 16.3
Best bowling: 2/17
A true big-game performer, providing a pair of invaluable performances with the ball when his side needed them in the finals series. An absolute luxury to have as the sixth bowler, Sketcher took wickets in every game that he bowled, bar one, despite never bowling more than seven overs in an innings.
BLADE BAXTER
Matches: 15
Runs: 269
Batting average: 24.4
Highest score: 57
Wickets: 29
Bowling average: 17.2
Best bowling: 5/33
Comfortably their best player in the second half of the season. Almost single-handedly won them the preliminary final from a difficult position against Hallam Kalora Park, took 10 wickets in three games during the finals and dug his side out of trouble with important late-order runs to maintain their undefeated streak during the home-and-away campaign.
JARRYD STRAKER
Matches: 15
Runs: 10
Batting average: .8
Highest score: 6
Wickets: 25
Bowling average: 15.6
Best bowling: 3/28
An absolute pillar of consistency who was surely next in line for the Damien Fleming Medal on grand final day. So often applied the clamps in the middle overs with his left arm orthodox, building dot ball pressure that can be hard to shake in limited overs fixtures. His wicket of Jake Cronin on Saturday set the wheels in motion for the Buckley Ridges collapse.
JOSH DOWLING
Matches: 15
Runs: 7
Batting average: .5
Highest score: 7
Wickets: 23
Bowling average: 20.2
Best bowling: 4/32
Part of the stellar bowling unit that did the job so often for the Bloods throughout the season, sharing opening duties with Yoshan Kumara. One of three bowlers to take 20 wickets for the campaign, two bags of four had him ever so-close to the elusive ’Michelle’, and helped Kumara seal the one-wicket win in round 14 to keep the undefeated streak alive.
PAUL HILL (wk)
Matches: 15
Runs: 87
Highest score: 24
Batting average: 6.7
Catches: 20
Stumpings: 6
It says a lot about a side that their premiership captain from this season can take a step-back from his leadership role and the team not miss a beat, but that’s exactly what happened. You don’t need a title to lead, and the presence Hill brought behind the stumps can’t be understated. Turned-in a performance to remember with the gloves against Hallam Kalora Park in the preliminary final to set up a small chase.
MATTHEW WETERING
Matches: 7
Runs: 4
Highest score: 4
Batting average: .57
Wickets: 10
Bowling average: 17.8
Best bowling: 3/11
A handy inclusion in the second half of the season that made himself un-droppable, with six wickets in his first two outings. The energy that he brought to the bowling crease when his side needed a spark in the round 12 clash with Buckley Ridges truly swung momentum in their favour, and took wickets in every contest other than the grand final.
YOSHAN KUMARA
Matches: 15
Runs: 198
Highest score: 59
Batting average: 22
Wickets: 15
Bowling average: 23.8
Best bowling: 5/17
Came to the club in the off-season and forced his way in to Darren Arter’s defending champion side every week with his accuracy and crucial runs down the order. A sensational 59 not out in the final clash of the season against Parkmore, coming to the wicket when his side were reeling, was arguably the highlight of a terrific season for the all-rounder.
