GCA1 TOP 30
It’s the great local cricket debate. Just who are the best players in GCA1? Addy cricket writer ALEX OATES called on local identities BRAD STACEY, GLEN TALARICO and RICHIE OLIVER to help compile the list, which balances both current form and reputation.
1. RICHIE OLIVER (Geelong City) RUNS: 359 AVE: 71.80 HS:
128. WKTS: — AVE: — BB: — Brad Stacey: “He’s by far the best player in the competition. He takes the best players on and wins.”
Glen Talarico: “He’s in a league of his own. He makes batting look easy.”
Alex Oates: “A class above. He seems to have all the time in the world at the crease.”
WITH 3885 runs in 5 ½ seasons, it’s easy to see why Oliver is streets ahead of the rest. Ranked No. 1 for the secondstraight year, the Englishman has only enhanced his reputation as one of the finest batsmen to have ever played in the GCA. Boasting a 360 degree wheelhouse and the ability to take the game away from the opposition in a matter of minutes, the elegant Geelong City left-hander is the most feared player in the competition. In the past five summers at Richmond Crescent, he has registered totals of 569, 765, 768, 939 and 485.
2. LEIGH KENTISH (St Joseph’s) RUNS: 244 AVE: 61 HS: 89* WKTS: — AVE: — BB: —
Richie Oliver: “He puts more value on his wicket than anyone else in the competition, while also being able to go through the gears when necessary.”
BS: “I reckon he’s put more emphasis on his batting and it’s paying off.”
GT: “His batting has gone to another level in the past 1 ½ years.”
AO: “An accumulator and near impossible to dislodge. In a rich vein of form.”
THIS time last year, Leigh Kentish was on track to smash records. Blasting 323 runs in five knocks, Kentish had Jack Sing’s record for the most runs in a season firmly in sight. The St Joseph’s veteran fell short, still registering a staggering 852 at 121.7, to top all comers in the competition. Kentish’s start to 2017-18 has been more subdued by his lofty standards, but he still ranks at No. 4 for the GCA’s leading runscorers. And it’s come under duress. With Joeys struggling at 0-4, Kentish has been forced to shoulder much of the responsibility with the bat. Yet, he’s doing it with aplomb, maintaining an average of 61.
3. GLEN TALARICO (Grovedale) RUNS: 162 AVE: 40.50 HS: 71 WKTS: 1 AVE: 59 BB: 1-11 BS: “He rarely fails and always performs under pressure.” RO: “It’s hard to go past his consistency over the years and he has often showed his class when his side needs him most.” AO: “Just a pleasure to watch. Never looks flustered and has all the shots in the book.”
A GIFTED strokemaker, there’s few better to watch than Glen Talarico. Oliver aside, Talarico is as good as they come on the front and back foot. Nudged out of the top three last season, the Grovedale allrounder moved up one position on the back of his finals series heroics and his solid start to 2017-18. His 63 in last year’s grand final was masterful, dragging the Tigers out of early trouble and building a total that won the premiership. Thus far, he averages over 40 and is yet to move out of third gear. Talarico’s bowling can’t be undersold either, generating an economy rate of 1.97 in his spells this season.
4. CHRIS YOUNG (Grovedale) RUNS: 33 AVE: 33 HS: 20 WKTS: 11 AVE: 14.18 BB: 6-38
BS: “He’s taken over as the best strike bowler in the competition.”
GT: “His finals numbers would be the best of all time. He’s the best swing bowler since Travis Agg.”
RO: “The most skilful bowler currently in the competition. He’s the master of setting batsmen up and has an unbelievable record at Grovedale.”
AO: “The captain’s dream. Pace, line and length and movement both ways. He’s the ultimate package.”
WHEN it comes to delivering under pressure, look no further than Chris Young. In last year’s finals series, the Englishman collected 13 scalps at 9.38 to be the unsung hero in Grovedale’s back-to-back premiership triumph. And there’s no signs of a hangover for Young, who has captured a further 11 wickets at 14.18. He has climbed from 14th on the list last season and overtaken East Belmont spearhead Dave Lineen as the best quick in the competition. In his past five seasons at the Tigers, he has bags of 26, 41, 11, 33, and 32. His haul of 6-38 against Newtown & Chilwell was as good as it gets.
5. ANDREW FERGUSSON (North Geelong) RUNS: 179 AVE: 35.80 HS: 72 WKTS: 8 AVE: 6.63 BB: 3-18
BS: “I reckon he’s been underbowled for so long and you can see how efficient he is.”
GT: “He’s been so consistent. His fielding should also be considered because he’s excellent.”
RO: “Probably the most versatile player in the competition. He could open the batting and the bowling if needed while also being a livewire in the field.”
AO: “A matchwinner and reliable with bat and ball. The type of player who is first picked in your side.”
WHO could forget his grand final exploits at Melbourne Country Week last season? Needing to dig his side out of trouble, he delivered a matchwinning knock of 85 to steer the GCA home. Just a year earlier, Fergusson took the game away from Bendigo in a mirror-image of his heroic deeds on Albert Ground. And with runs aplenty and a stack of wickets, suffice to say Fergusson has moved up from his ranking of 12th last season. In five digs, the North Geelong star has almost 180 runs. More impressively, Fergusson has eight wickets at 6.63 and an economy rate of 2.11 He’s a lock for this season’s country week campaign and could be a force in the finals, should the Magpies return to action.
6. GARETH YELLAND (Grovedale) RUNS: 54 AVE: 27 HS: 43 WKTS: 9 AVE: 12.67 BB: 5-32 INCREDIBLY stiff to miss the cut for the top five. As Richie Oliver states: “He provides relentless line and length and has a big engine. He can also be destructive with the bat and that makes him the most valuable player in the competition, for mine.” But an interrupted campaign means he slips down the list, with just three games under his belt.
7. SEAN O’NEILL (East Belmont) RUNS: 263 AVE: 65.75 HS: 121 WKTS: — AVE: — BB: — THE big mover in the player stakes. Coming in at 25 last season, O’Neill has edged within a whisker of the top five on the back of a brilliant period with the bat. Four knocks have generated more than 260 runs at a rate of 65.75. That puts him second on the leading runscorers’ list, only behind Richie Oliver. The powerful right-hander has failed just twice this season, ironically both times in his strong suit of T20 cricket, and has bludgeoned 97 and 121. HIS past fortnight could not be ignored. Smashing 175 in two digs, veteran Vassiliou worked his way up the order. The former Geelong West champion has found his groove, dismissed just three times this season to have a solid average of 65.75. Vassiliou’s unbeaten ton against Lara was impressive, but he backed it up with 75 against stronger opposition in South Barwon. With plenty of matches left in the season, Vassiliou will only flourish.
9. ANDY HUGHES (Lara) RUNS: 151 AVE: 37.75 HS: 81 WKTS: 8 AVE: 29.00 BB: 5-83 HUGHES is back is in the top 10 for a second-straight year, by virtue of his feats with the ball. Sure, 151 runs and a best of 81 helps, but Hughes has proven a revelation with his off-spin. Grabbing eight wickets, including a five-wicket haul against Newtown & Chilwell, meant he locked down ninth spot. If he gets going with the bat, Lara will have a fruitful summer.
8. DAMIAN VASSILIOU (North Geelong) RUNS: 263 AVE: 65.75 HS: 100* WKTS: — AVE: — BB: —
10. TOM MATHIESON (North Geelong) RUNS: 46 AVE: 15.33 HS: 16 WKTS: 8 AVE: 11.63 BB: 4-21 YOU won’t find him in the top 50 in the Intersport De Grandi GCA MVP, nor is he topping the averages with bat and ball. But for sheer class alone, Mathieson deserves his place in the top 10. Take a look at last season, for example. Mathieson was one of the state’s best bowlers, snaring 41 wickets in a performance that landed him in the Vic Country squad, where he dominated. This season, with a smaller sample size, he has eight scalps at another blistering average.
11. JUSTIN FOSS (St Joseph’s) RUNS: 55 AVE: 13.75 HS: 28 WKTS: 3 AVE: 46 BB: 2-67 AFTER making 651 runs at 72.33 last season, Foss deserved a few brownie points when collating the top 30. He remains one of the best allrounders in the comp, but his stats in 2017-18 are down on that, claiming just three wickets and contributing 55 runs.
12. ANDREW BAARS (East Belmont) RUNS: 225 AVE: 66.25 HS: 91 WKTS: 0 AVE: — BB: 0-15 THERE’S only one man in greater form at East Belmont and that’s Sean O’Neill. His partner in crime, Baars, has also been in scintillating touch with the bat. Thus far, he has smoked 91 and 74 to propel the Lions to big totals.
13. LUKE FORD (Grovedale) RUNS: 123 AVE: 30.75 HS: 60 WKTS: 6 AVE: 17.50 BB: 3-34 A SLIGHTLY subdued start to the year at a new club, but impressive all the same. The young gun has two halfcenturies with the bat and has been more than useful with the ball, grabbing two bags of three.
14. MATT LINEKER (East Belmont) RUNS: 116 AVE: 29 HS: 50 WKTS: 2 AVE: 55.50 BB: 1-36 A SLIP down the order for East Belmont’s kingpin. Traditionally a strong accumulator pre-Christmas, the Englishman only has 116 this season and only one 50.
15. MITCH TROY (North Geelong) RUNS: 76 AVE: 19 HS: 31 WKTS: 6 AVE: 10 BB: 3-19 ON the surface, he’s a good, honest toiler. But Mitch Troy is better than that. Capable of tying down an end and grabbing a handful of wickets, the Magpies’ all-rounder often contributes with the bat and digs his side out of trouble — and has for a long time.
16. CAM PARKER (St Joseph’s) RUNS: 229 AVE: 76.33 HS: 121* IF it was based on stats alone, Cam Parker would be nearing the top of the tree. Whacking 229 runs from four hits, combined with seven catches and a stumping, the Joeys’ gloveman is the in-form keeper of the competition. A very handy pick up.
17. GRAHAM CLARK (Newtown & Chilwell) RUNS: 162 AVE: 54 HS: 115 WKTS: 6 AVE: 11.67 BB: 4-25 HE’S flown under the radar in many respects. The brother of star Jordan Clark, who was previously ranked in the GCA1 top five, Graham has already displayed his all-round talents. A century came last round, while he has also snared a four-wicket haul.
18. NICK LYNCH (South Barwon) RUNS: 25 AVE: 25 HS: 14* WKTS: 11 AVE: 17.18 BB: 3-33 SOUTH Barwon’s No. 1 strike bowler, Lynch has enjoyed a solid start to the season. He has snared wickets in five of seven innings and is more than handy with the bat in hand.
19. BRAD HAUENSTEIN (South Barwon) RUNS: 61 AVE: 30.50 HS: 42* WKTS: 8 AVE: 18.50 BB: 6-37 BARELY sighted with the bat, and with three wicketless matches, “Hornet” slips out of the top 10. Yet he remains as crafty and dangerous as always, scoring an unbeaten 42 and netting a bag of six against St Joseph’s. Been so good for so long.
20. DAVE LINEEN (East Belmont) RUNS: 8 AVE: 8 HS: 8* WKTS: 1 AVE: 136 BB: 1-53 A SHOCK selection at No. 20, but the stats don’t lie. Returning a strike rate of 204 and an average of 136, the injured Lineen couldn’t match the form that placed him at No. 3 last year.
21. MATT LAFFEY (South Barwon) RUNS: 110 AVE: 27.50 HS: 44 WKTS: 13 AVE: 10.77 BB: 3-20 SECOND on the champion player list, Laffey is unlucky to feature so low down the order, especially when he has snagged 13 wickets in five matches. But the runs haven’t quite come for the New Zealander, with just three scores in double figures.
22. NATHAN FITZPATRICK (North Geelong) RUNS: 44 AVE: 11 HS: 13 WKTS: 4 AVE: 29 BB: 2-28 IT’S hard to fathom that a member of last year’s Vic Country side would come in at No. 22. But that’s the strength of the GCA. With impressive speed and qualities with the bat, expect him to fire as the season progresses.
23. MATT KENNEDY (South Barwon) RUNS: 95 AVE: 31.67 HS: 47 WKTS: 9 AVE: 17.67 BB: 4-36 THE popular all-rounder has missed out just once with the ball, grabbing four scalps against Lara.
24. CHRIS WILLIAMS (East Belmont) RUNS: 3 AVE: — HS: 3* WKTS: 12 AVE: 17.25 BB: 6-31 HE’S proved the difference on a host of occasions with the ball. Grabbing six against Geelong City and four in the clash against Leopold, legspinner Williams is in a rich vein of form.
25. BARRY TSITAS (Grovedale) RUNS: 79 AVE: 26.33 HS: 39* WKTS: 9 AVE: 21.33 BB: 3-30 TSITAS continues to deliver. With nine scalps to his name, the Grovedale captain has also made some valuable runs to boot, while leading his side superbly.
26. PAT RICHARDS (Leopold) RUNS: 193 AVE: * HS: 119 WKTS: 1 AVE: 88 BB: 1-25 PAT Richards had only two games to impress, and he did so with a bang. After walking out on Geelong, the Muay Thai fighter smashed 74 for Leopold before notching a brilliant century.
27. ALEX WILLERTON (East Belmont) RUNS: 79 AVE: 26.33 HS: 59 WKTS: 8 AVE: 18.13 BB: 3-27 WILLERTON has struck fear into the opposition since arriving on Australian soil. The young, towering quick has eight wickets and has proved so valuable, with Dave Lineen injured.
28. JOEL DAVIES (South Barwon) RUNS: 82 AVE: 41 HS: 46 WKTS: 1 AVE: 71 BB: 1-20 ON talent alone, Davies is a contender for the top 10. But after moving up from GCA2 cricket, and spending limited time on the park, the South Barwon all-rounder slips down the list.
29. TOBIAS HOGG (Grovedale) RUNS: 122 AVE: 30.50 HS: 75 CATCHES: 4 STUMPINGS: 3 AN impressive output from the Tigers keeper, with four catches and three stumpings to go with 122 runs at a neat average of 30.
30. PHIL LANG (South Barwon) RUNS: 112 AVE: 37.33 HS: 68 CATCHES: 5 STUMPINGS: 3 SNEAKING in at No. 30 is the ever-reliable Phil Lang. Back from retirement, Lang has contributed in two of his three digs, while maintaining his tidy glovework.