Wilddogs cause carnage Top 15 named in WDCA
The Wilddogs managed to defend their first innings total of 138 and dismissed Traralgon for just 57 in dramatic circumstances.
In a rain reduced match, the Hallora Cricket Club ground staff did an admirable job to ensure a game could be played, with both team’s innings only reduced by seven overs.
Traralgon leg spinner Michael Warne came out of retirement to play for the Tornadoes, whilst a few late withdrawals from the Warragul team had them making a few dreaded lastminute phone calls.
With early misty rain about, Warragul captain Fraser Duncan elected to bat first upon winning the toss. Batting first meant the Wilddogs would have to put up with a damp outfield, but also meant they could bowl with a better ball later if conditions improved.
Wilddog openers Malinga Surappulige and Jack Armour went out to face the music, and probably knew they would have to wear a few early and pray the ball didn’t boomerang or rise off a length too much.
Traralgon left arm quick opening bowler Keenan Hughes would have been sniffing blood and licking his lips at the conditions in front of him, but Armour was up to the challenge and thrived in what ended up being a stoic stay at the crease.
Armour took his moniker of “the sponge” to a literal meaning as important balls were soaked up early. He compiled a vitally important 40, which was probably worth double in the context of the game.
Armour and Fraser Duncan combined to put on 75 for the second wicket before things quickly went south.
After Duncan departed for 34, the Wilddogs lost 3-10 to slump to 5-97.
Jai Newcombe and Daniel Pandolfo, who cleared the rope with a maximum, scratched out double figure scores to get Warragul to a score of 138.
Justin Little was the best performed bowler for Traralgon, taking 4-26, along with Jamie King who claimed 3-20 and Hughes who finished with 2-21.
At the change of innings, the Warragul team may have felt they were slightly short of par, but no one in their right mind would have been able to predict what was about to unfold as Traralgon began its reply.
A direct hit run out from an alert James Williams at backward point saw Ryan Morley short of his ground and got Warragul off to the perfect start.
Traralgon captain Chris Lehner and Jordan Gilmore then tried to steady the innings and looked ready to launch an assault on the bowling before Lehner suffered the same fate as his opener.
Traralgon’s score of 2-24 quickly became 3-28 as Brett Chapman got an edge on one through to Armour off the bowling of Lachlan Gregson.
From there it was absolute carnage, as the Tornadoes collapsed to go from 3-28 to 6-48. Gregson was proving to be more than a handful, as the Wilddogs began to believe a win was on the cards.
Things continued to run smoothly for Warragul, and more Traralgon wickets tumbled, as eventually the Tornadoes were bowled out for 57. All in all, they lost 8-33 in what was a shell shocking result for many in GCL circles.
Gregson was the pick of the bowlers for Warragul, with his 3-23 having a big say in the result. Surappulige (2-10) and Natsai M’Shangwe (2-5) also chipped in with important scalps.
The result vindicated the inclusion of Grant Duncan into the Warragul lineup, as the Brad Hodge of local cricket had for far too long been overlooked by GCL selectors.
With a first-round win on the board over last season’s runners-up, Warragul will feel they have earnt back some respect after a disappointing 2018-19 campaign.
It was another rain interrupted Saturday, with all senior cricket cancelled.
During the preseason, however, a few experts sat down and gathered the opinions of club coaches and those in the know to gauge and rank the top 15 division one players for the 2019/20 season, and here’s what they came up with.
As we head into the fourth round of cricket, are the names listed still stacking up? by Joel Batson
15. Trevor Gardiner
While the spin of Dale Weller and the aggressive Damon Healy stole headlines in last year’s flag for Drouin, the inclusion of Gardiner midyear after a knee infection was the key to Drouin’s stunning turnaround.
Along with his tough gritty batting, Gardiner offers outstanding leadership and bowls handy left-arm medium pacers.
14. Brent Eastwell
A multi-talented sportsman Eastwell epitomises the value of experience.
Last season may have been mediocre by his standards, but he still rates as one of the best in the competition.
His return to Buln Buln has seen him amass critical centuries and crucial wickets.
13. James Williams
A prolific wicket-taker, Williams has been one of the most consistent performers over the past five years.
Hallora’s poor 2018-2019 season in which they missed the finals certainly wasn’t Williams’ fault.
He still had a sensational season with the ball, highlighted by a seven-wicket haul against a strong Buln outfit showing how dangerous Williams is on a turning deck.
Judging on performances over recent years, he will be amongst the top five wicket takers.
12. Fraser Duncan
Duncan’s sensational division one career continued last year with the aesthetically pleasing run-scorer reaching 3500 career WDCA runs.
With talent and an array of shots that is rivalled by few, Duncan has improved his oneday game in recent years.
Expect him to lift to another level this year. 11. Damon Healy
A serious knee injury almost derailed the ferocious Healy’s 2018-19 season.
Instead, he became the player of the finals, leading his Drouin side to premiership glory.
Healy’s aggressive nature and headstrong attitude means batting on one leg didn’t stop him.
It would not surprise if a fit Healy scored a huge amount of runs and produced some more critical March performances.
10. Jack Armour
A brilliant summer in England did the trick for the talented Armour leading to a breakout WDCA season as the premier wicketkeeper/batsman.
Tidy with the gloves and elegant and classical with the bat, Armour has quickly become Buln Buln’s most important player.
With a batting aggregate award under his belt and another England trip in the books, Armour should breakthrough for a maiden division one century and another 500-plus run season.
9. AK Tyrone
If there was any doubt about the reputation Tyrone built for himself in division two last season, the respect shown from the league’s division one coaches alleviates it.
Tyrone is the real deal. A prodigious season with both bat and ball in his first Australian summer has him primed to become a dominant force in the league.
It wouldn’t surprise anyone if he shoots to number one this season. 8. Jack Ward
Ward might be the most underrated player in the division.
The coaches’ opinions of the Neerim captain certainly indicate that with their rankings of him ranging all over the place. But there is no doubt he is in the elite category of cricketers.
A breakthrough century against hostile Western Park bowling underlined his class.
7. Dale Weller
Weller might be the Luke Hodge of the WDCA; he always gets it done when it matters.
His love affair with Western Park continued in a mesmerising semi-final performance last year and he played a huge role in Drouin winning the decider.
The wily off-spinner has taken a telling 43 finals’ wickets in his career.
6. Nuwan Perera
He is one of many talented all-rounders and did not put a foot wrong in his first season in the league, posting outstanding statistics with both bat and ball.
Perera’s class was shown with some outrageous Country Week batting.
He also claimed a five-wicket haul and posted a century in the WDCA to signal there is likely to be plenty more to come.
5. Ben Spicer
Coming into the WDCA with a reputation for batting destruction, Spicer lived up to the hype, transforming Ellinbank into a powerful line-up that narrowly missed a grand final berth.
However, Spicer’s greatest attribute and impact could be his attacking captaincy and ability to promote youth, none more evident than the growth of Sean Masterson and Matt Farthing into key players last year.
4. Nick Fairbank
Undoubtedly the biggest reason for the Eagles’ transformation into a contender since his arrival after a brief hiatus from the WDCA.
Fairbank picked up where he left off from Bunyip and proved to be one of league’s most mercurial players with bat or ball.
Innings such as his blistering 142 not out against Buln in 2017 show his supreme talent.
3. Sanjaya Gangodawila
It is difficult to quantify Gangodawila’s skill by looking at statistics.
However, opponents can attest to his brilliance.
With centuries in T20 finals, Country Week games and two-day semi-finals, ‘Ganga’ has proven to be perhaps the finest exponent of T20-style batting in the league.
2. Sam Batson
Despite numerous injuries hampering the young quick, Batson has proven the most destructive bowler (and occasionally batsman) in the league when he is on song.
With the best average across the past two decades with the ball (222 wickets at 12.53), including figures of 7-6 to his credit, Batson is the X-factor of the WDCA.
1. Gamini Kumara
Realistically, he was an obvious choice as number one.
Kumara has been the best cricketer the league over the past decade. His career averages are mind-blowing - 230 wickets at 15.49, 5211 runs at 54.85.
The next best batting average for a player of 100-plus matches is 36 and he has 11 centuries to go with it (including a best of 187 not out in a losing semi-final).