Peake of carnival scoring

SOUTH Barwon’s Oliver Peake (above) has reached the peak of run scoring in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association’s under-15 John Craig Shield by rewriting the record books.

The 14-year-old’s innings of 88 for Plenty Valley in Thursday’s semi-final against Malvern took his run aggregate for the carnival to a record 535 at an average of 107.

It passed the previous best of 457 by Ormond’s Rory Freeman.

“Have I? That’s pretty cool, I guess,’’ the son of former Victorian batsman Clinton Peake said when told he had set a new mark.

Peake’s scores of 37, 87 not out, 87, 114, 106 not out, 16 and 88 have helped the young Bats into Sunday’s final against Ormond.

The South Barwon player is playing for Plenty Valley alongside his Victorian under-12 teammate Braydon O’Connor, the team captain.

“I’m really good mates with Braydon and he asked me if I would like to come down and I said, ‘Yeah’ because there wasn’t much rep cricket stuff going on in Geelong,’’ he said.

“It’s awesome to play with the boys and they’ve included me really well.

“It’s good to play on some good wickets and good grounds.’’

Peake is a left-hand batsman, like his father, and bowls tidy off-spin.

South Barwon handed the youngster a First XI cap in November and he has played eight matches in the GCA1 top tier, scoring 108 runs at 15.4.

Plenty Valley coach Gary Bell called him an outstanding prospect.

“He’s a brilliant young cricketer but he’s an even better person, a very mature young man, very inclusive of the whole team, a very team-orientated player,’’ he said. “As for his cricket, he’s got a lot of shots. “His knowledge of the game is outstanding. If we bowl first he’ll read the pitch while we’re out there fielding and he’ll bat accordingly.

“And I don’t think I’ve seen a better fieldsman at junior level. He’s a freak in the field. But I want to emphasise that bit about him being a quality kid. So humble. Legend of a kid.’’

Bell said Plenty Valley had another prolific batsman in Aryan Sharman, who has made 401 runs in the series, with four half-centuries.

“If we didn’t have Ollie Peake, I think he would be getting a lot of plaudits,’’ Bell said.

The Bats were too strong for Malvern, scoring 3-191 off their 40 overs and holding the Roosters to 8-112.

Opening bowler Harry Smith captured 3-5 off five overs.

In the other semi-final, unbeaten Ormond overcame spirited opposition from Coburg to advance to Sunday’s final at Elsternwick Park.