The Benalla Bushrangers Cricket Club has held its presentation evenings.
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Over 100 parents and juniors attended the junior awards at the Gardens Oval and another 100 came to the senior function at the bowls club.
Awards were presented for all grades, which included girls’ under-13s, a first for the WDCA competition.
The club has expanded significantly in the past two seasons and is now the biggest in the WDCA, with senior and junior teams in all grades, including three under-12s teams and a veterans’ team.
The club puts 11 teams on the ground most weekends and president Greg Hoysted was grateful to all the volunteer coaches, scorers, umpires and supporters who work so hard to make all of this possible.
In a further expansion, the club is entering a team in the Mid-Year Cricket Association, where teams play nine games from late April to August.
Any players interested in joining this team may register through the PlayHQ app.
Another ongoing project for the club, in conjunction with the Benalla Gardens Oval committee of management, is the building of the new white Colorbond picket fence at the oval.
Materials have been purchased and construction will begin soon, but the club and the committee of management are still seeking people who would like their name or business on plaques to be fixed to the fence.
The cost is $250 per plaque, and payments can be made to the Benalla Gardens Oval committee of management.
The new fence will further enhance what is already one of the best and most picturesque cricket grounds in Victoria.
Junior awards
Under-12s Red: Batting — Noah Anderson; Bowling — Archer Pickering; Fielding — Sam Mount; Coach’s Award — Max Reynolds, Cricketer of the Year — Noah Anderson.
Under-12s Blue: Batting — Thomas Snell; Bowling — Jaxson Heatherill; Fielding — Ted Clancy; Coach’s Award — Jack Crook; Cricketer of the Year — Thomas Snell.
Under-12s Green: Batting — Jack Hart; Bowling — Jack Hart; Fielding — Oliver Smith; Coach’s Award — Oliver Parker; Cricketer of the Year — Jack Hart.
Under-13s Girls: All girls were awarded with a medallion for being part of the first ever Benalla Bushrangers CC girls’ team.
Under-14s: Batting — Riley McCarthy; Bowling — Xavier DeFazio; Fielding — Hugh Ross; Coach’s Awards: — Showrik Das (most improved), Jack Dermott (best teammate); Cricketer of the Year — Xavier DeFazio.
Under-16s: Batting — Lucas Ham; Bowling — Josh Hart; Fielding — Will Botten; Coach’s Award — Bryce Cooney; Hat-trick — Ryder Levy; Century — Lucas Ham.
Cricketer of the Year — Jonty Priest.
Andrew Ham received the clubperson of the year award for junior cricket in recognition of all his work to co-ordinate and administer the junior teams and assist the managers and coaches in registering players, organising equipment, planning match times and venues and ensuring that scoring was correct.
Senior awards:
A Grade: Batting — Priyank (Sunny) Chohan; Bowling — Conor Brodie; Fielding — Daniel Brew; Century — Priyank Chohan; Five-wicket innings — Conor Brodie; Cricketer of the Year — Priyank Chohan.
A Reserve: Batting — Simon Briggs; Bowling — Simon Briggs; Fielding — Matt Hadj; Five-wicket innings — Simon Briggs; Cricketer of the Year — Simon Briggs.
B Grade: Batting — Jack Fullager; Bowling — Stewart McLeod; Fielding — Kieran Linke; Century — Jack Fullager; Five-wicket innings — Leigh Pollard; Player of the finals — Matthew Priest; Cricketer of the Year — Jack Fullager.
C Grade: Batting — Jordan Smith; Bowling — Jordan Smith; Fielding — Kieran Linke; Centuries — Jordan Smith and Steve Pickering; Captain’s Award — Will Keen; Cricketer of the Year — Jordan Smith.
Veterans: Five-wicket innings — Paul Ivery.
Club Award: Golden Gloves (most dismissals by a wicketkeeper across the grades) — Craig Williams.
The B Grade team won the WDCA Premiership, representing the first senior premiership for the club. The C Grade team also played finals, as did all the junior teams. The under-16s played a tie in their grand final.
Gary Priest was named the senior clubperson of the year. Gary worked tirelessly after stepping into the role of A Grade captain as well as being Under-16s coach and a member of the social committee. His selfless attitude greatly improves the club and ensures that everyone feels that they belong and are valued at the club.
In closing, the president thanked all the hard-working committee members, the social committee, players, coaches, parents and supporters for their commitment throughout the season.
The club looks forward to greater success next season, which will be the 10th anniversary of its formation.
Cadet Sports Journalist