Leaders back Hughes to win Sing
ANDY Hughes has been backed by his peers to claim the Geelong Cricket Association’s top medal.
After a swashbuckling season that netted 741 runs at 82.33 and a handy 14 wickets, Hughes is the favourite among rival captains and coaches to win tonight’s Jack Sing Medal.
In a strawpoll, six opposition leaders selected Hughes to win the GCA1 best-and-fairest ahead of East Belmont captain Sean O’Neill (3) and Grovedale allrounder Gareth Yelland (1).
Hughes had the backing of his skipper Dan Weigl, who was convinced his opening batsman had done enough with bat and ball to poll the most votes.
“He’s the leading runscorer and he’s taken a few wickets,” Weigl said.
“He’ll only poll threes and will be hard to beat. (It would be) well deserved.”
Newtown & Chilwell coach Dev Royce, St Joseph’s captain Luke Ibbs, South Barwon mentor Chris Bartholomeusz, North Geelong skipper Sam Hall and Geelong City captain Richie Oliver also tipped Hughes to salute.
“(He’s had) a fantastically consistent season and he only missed out a couple of times,” Royce said.
“Graham Clark is a smoky, as he influenced games with bat and ball and often both, but he may not have played enough games to keep up with Andy though.”
Ibbs said: “Andy Hughes was the best batsman of the year and bowling was more than handy”, while Hall declared “he will get votes in most of their eight wins”.
Oliver sat on the fence but lent towards Hughes.
“It has to be either Andy or Sean,” Oliver said from his home in the UK.
“I’ll say Andy because he kept his form going right until the end. It was a great season for him where he seems to have played with added determination.”
O’Neill, having blasted 714 runs at 71.40 and three centuries, is also right in the hunt.
“Sean O’Neill had a great season, and will score loads of three votes in games, especially preChristmas,” Leopold coach Scott Lindsay said.
“O’Neill consistently made runs at the top of the order that win games,” Murgheboluc coach Bill Dixon added.
O’Neill’s teammate and coach Chris Williams also believes the powerful striker has done enough.
“It’s a batter’s game and he’s made plenty of runs in our wins,” Williams said.
Yelland was the only other player to earn a vote and that was from his skipper Barry Tsitas.
“He’s been consistently very good with bat and ball in most games throughout the season,” Tsitas said of Yelland.
Other awards presented tonight include the GCA2’s Barry McMahon Medal, the GCA3’s Jan Nowicki Medal, championship player awards and batting and bowling averages.
Meanwhile, the GCA Media team will be live-streaming both tonight’s GCA presentation night, along with the GCA1 grand final, through its Facebook page. The presentation night live-stream from Buckley’s Entertainment Centre will begin at 7pm.
This Saturday and Sunday will see the GCA1 grand final live-stream begin at 12.30pm, with rolling score updates from all GCA grand finals, including live crosses to GCA2 and GCA3 first X1 grand finals.
The Newtown & Chilwell Cricket Club, host of the GCA1 decider, has thrown its support behind the initiative.