By Marcus Uhe
A clear frame of mind and a continual love of the battle has culminated in Springvale South batter Jordan Wyatt claiming personal success on Sunday in the form of the Alan Wookey Medal.
The medal is the highest honour that Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 1 players can receive, awarded to the player judged the best over the course of the season.
Wyatt finished with 30 votes, two ahead of North Dandenong all-rounder Jawid Khan, who led the vote count for much of the middle stages before Wyatt snatched the lead in round 13.
Both were expected to poll in the final week, with Khan hitting 100 against Beaconsfield and Wyatt a brilliant 77 against Berwick, making for an intriguing conclusion to the count.
Khan received maximum votes to take a four-vote lead, before Wyatt did the same and ultimately finish ahead, seeing Alan Wookey present him with the coveted silverware.
He’s just the second Springvale South player to win the award, after Steven Spoljaric claimed his sixth as a Blood back in 2018-19.
“It’s a huge accolade and I’m extremely proud,” Wyatt said of the honour.
“I thought I might be around the mark but I thought Jawid (Khan), with the all-rounder status, would probably be the one to beat.
“I just find cricket really fun at the moment and it’s something that, across the years, you go through the down times and they’re really hard.
“I’m trying to enjoy it as much as I can when my form’s been good.”
Wyatt enjoyed another stellar season for Springvale South, his third since departing Victorian Premier Cricket side, Casey South Melbourne, topping the competition for runs with 617 at a staggering average of 77, 378 ahead of his nearest teammate.
He hit two blistering centuries, against Berwick in round five and Buckley Ridges in round 12, and four half-centuries, finishing the home-and-away campaign with scores of 129, 75 and 77.
On two occasions he polled the maximum six votes – both against Berwick – while big scores in losses, against Buckley Ridges (129) and Narre South (75) late in the campaign, still netted him eight of a possible 12 votes, helping to reel in Khan’s lead.
Consistently striking at better than a run-per-ball throughout the season, Wyatt spoke of a heightened sense of enjoyment in the middle and simplification of his game.
No better was this showcased than in a small run chase against Hallam Kalora Park, when he smashed 68 from 43 balls at home in pursuit of 81, his favourite knock of the campaign.
“That (innings) was really cool,” he said.
“They bowled quite full so I was throwing my hands at anything.
“That’s not discrediting either of the hundreds that I made, but on a really tough wicket, I was able to execute my plan; my plan being, that if it was up, I was going as hard as I can.”
Mid-season discussions with Casey South Melbourne about a potential return did not eventuate, leaving his focus fairly and squarely on creating history with Springvale South in securing a third premiership.
“Don’t get me wrong, I loved my time at Casey but I was always playing with the mindset of ‘I might not have my spot if I don’t perform’, whereas (now) I know that I’m good enough to keep my spot.
“I loved my time at Casey and I adore that club, but when you’re playing for your spot every week, you don’t have as much fun.
“I’m having so much fun at Springvale South and hopefully that can continue in the next few weeks.
“It’s (the Wookey Medal) a huge honour, but in the grand scheme of things, I want to win a flag – that’s all that matters to me.”
Khan was considered a front-runner by many to be around the mark, despite North Dandenong’s form slump in the second half of the year, while Pradeep’s placing was one from left-field, having flown under the radar for the lowly St Mary’s.
Batters dominated the count, making the most of the return to two-day cricket this season.
Spinners, Lachlan Brown (Berwick), Jarryd Straker (Springvale South) and Yohan Arumadura made the early running, before Khan made his move in the middle of the season with two six-vote performances in rounds five and eight.
WOOKEY MEDAL VOTING TOP 10
Jordan Wyatt (Springvale South) – 30
Jawid Khan (North Dandenong) – 28
Susantha Pradeep (St Mary’s) – 24
Jake Hancock (Berwick) – 21
Kyle Hardy (Narre South) – 19
Lachlan Brown (Berwick), Mark Cooper (Beaconsfield), Jarryd Straker (Springvale South) – 18
Roshene Silva (Buckley Ridges), Saveen Nanayakkara (St Mary’s) – 17.
