Another season of the Victorian Premier Cricket season has concluded, and the MCC is celebrating a number of successes throughout the Men’s and Women’s divisions for the 2021/22 season.
The MCC Cricket Section celebrated a stand-out season, with the Club claiming five out of nine Premier Cricket flags on offer for the season.The MCC Premier Women’s cricket teams dominated the competition, completing a clean-sweep across all divisions – First XI, Second XI, Third XI and Under 18s as well as claiming the Women’s Club Championship.
In her first season as coach, Teagan Parker became the first MCC captain-coach to win a Women’s Premier Cricket flag.
The Men’s teams also saw success, with three out of the four senior men’s teams making finals, and the Third XI team going on to win the premiership against Prahran.
On an individual level, many MCC cricketers excelled during the season.
Rising star batter Campbell Kellaway and 17-year-old spinner, Harkirat Bajwa took Australia to third place at the ICC Under 19 World Cup in the West Indies.
Several players were selected in junior representative teams for Victoria, as well as in the senior domestic ranks in Sheffield Shield, WNCL, One Day Cup and Men’s and Women’s Big Bash League competitions.
Sam Harper and Jack Prestwidge represented the Melbourne Renegades this season. Harper and one-Test opening batter, Will Pucovski – who returned to the elite level for his first matches in 12 months – were also part of a Victorian side that came runners-up to Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield Final.
All-rounder Fergus O’Neill also made his Victorian List A debut in March against Western Australia in the Marsh Cup.
On the Women’s side, Ella Hayward and Rhiann O’Donnell also represented the Renegades and Victoria, alongside top-order batter, Amy Vine.
Fifteen year-old leg-spinner Hasrat Gill was the leading wicket-taker in the Women’s Premier First XI – claiming 26 wickets for the season, including a hat-trick against Plenty Valley.
The MCC Cricket Section will draw closed the 2021/22 season with their annual awards night on Friday May 6 at the MCG.
Grand Final results
Men’s Third XIMelbourne 6/250 defeated Prahran 183
Women’s First XI
Carlton 135 defeated by Melbourne 4/139
Women’s Second XI
Box Hill 113 defeated by Melbourne 3/114
Women’s Third XI
Melbourne 6/142 defeated Geelong 120
Women’s U18
Dandenong 7/174 defeated by Melbourne 6/175