By Jonty Ralphsmith
The Charles Gartside Medal race is set to come down to the wire, with round 14’s action a chance to determine who finishes on top of the count on Sunday.
It appears to be a race in four between all-rounders Harsaroup Singh, Shaun Weir, and Triyan De Silva, and Parkfield spinner Nicholas Jeffrey.
Below is each of their season’s profiled
HARSAROUP SINGH
The leading run-scorer in the competition, the technically correct batter has stepped up to the increased responsibility at Cranbourne this season in the absence of the Sweeney brothers. Has a century and three half centuries among his 483 runs at 48.3, and also has 11 wickets. Likely to poll maximum votes in two games.
TRIYAN DE SILVA
The most likely to be the front runner after round 13, HSD’s opening bowler has been potent with the new ball this season, snagging a league-high 34 wickets at 14, and also has two half centuries. In between a quieter patch in the middle of the season, a chance to poll in six games.
SHAUN WEIR
Will be the early front-runner, having quickly adapted to the new role of opening, with his ability to take the game away from opposition important for the Bulls. Has a century and three half centuries, all coming before the Christmas break. Could poll maximum votes in three of those games, but almost certainly hasn’t polled since Dandy West’s round nine win over Keysborough. His leggies tended to be most effective when he performed strongly with the bat, aiding his vote-getting.
NICK JEFFREY
A roughie who will come like a freight train to end the season, Jeffrey is the only one on the list who has just the one discipline, his deceiving spin bowling. Would need a bit to go his way, and probably needs to pick up votes against Parkmore this week, but remains a chance. The Parkfield bowler is likely to get maximum votes in each of the last two rounds – a 10-wicket match haul against Narre and six against Keysy – and his 5/14 off 11 against HSD early in the season is also likely to catch the umpires’ attention. Figures of 3/8 off five in an abandoned game against Dandy West could also nab him an important vote.
The team of the year will also be awarded on Sunday.
Here are our selections.
1 – Shaun Weir (Dandenong West)
2 – Dishan Malalasekera (Parkfield)
3 – Mackenzie Gardner (HSD)
4 – Harsaroup Singh (Cranbourne)
5 – Anthony Brannan (Dandenong West)
6 – Triyan De Silva (HSD)
7 – Sahan Jayawardana (Narre Warren)
8 – Nuwan Kulasekara (Dandenong West)
9 – Malinga Bandara (Dandenong West)
10 – Marty Kelly (Cranbourne)
11 – Nick Jeffrey (Parkfield)
TURF 3 PREVIEW
Berwick Springs opener Jackson Marie will go into the Turf 3 medal count on Sunday as the firm favourite.
With one round remaining in the home and away season, Marie has 677 runs to his name at an average of 61.55 – 154 clear of second-placed Hasindu Waduge.
The sweet-hitting left hander was effectively the difference in Berwick Springs’ two statement wins over Coomoora.
In his first hit of the season, he made 76 against the Roos, and made his biggest score of the season, 148, against them the second time around in a 119-run victory.
The 76 set the tone for a mammoth campaign which has contained three centuries and three half-centuries.
Emphasising the likelihood of him polling well, the stroke-maker has top-scored in five of the Titans’ six wins so far.
He’s also a chance of picking up votes with a fighting run-a-ball knock in a loss to Fountain Gate.
Fountain Gate’s Hasindu Waduge is likely his closest competitor, having hit two centuries and four half centuries, likely to pick up votes in all of those games, but only set for maximum votes in the two games he reached three figures.
The most likely of the bowlers is Doveton North’s Sachith Jayasingha, who has 42 wickets at an average of eight.
The left arm orthodox spinner is likely to pick up maximum votes with eight wickets against Hampton Park and with an all-round effort against Lynbrook, and will accumulate across his other games.
Malan Madusanka also can’t be written off, having picked up three five-wicket hauls, with his economical slow bowling a feature for Coomoora.
The team of the year will also be announced on Sunday.
Here are our selections.
1 – Jackson Marie (Berwick Springs)
2 – Hasindu Waduge (Fountain Gate)
3 – Rob North (Silverton)
4 – Chanaka ‘Ted’ Sampath (Fountain Gate)
5 – Jatinder Singh (Lynbrook)
6 – Charith Sylvester (Coomoora)
7 – Sachith Jayasingha (Doveton North)
8 – Kalapu Gamage (Silverton)
9 – Ethan Marinic (Berwick Springs)
10 – Malan Madusanka (Coomoora)
11 – Gayan De Silva (Doveton North)
