The MCC Cricket Section celebrated a remarkable season for the Club across several evenings at the MCG, including receiving many team and individual honours at Cricket Victoria’s Premier Cricket Awards last Friday night.
On Thursday night, the MCC Women's cricketers, coaches and officials gathered to celebrate their historic 'clean sweep' of the Women's Premier cricket season.Held in the Long Room, just over 10 years after a corresponding event in the same venue officially launched Melbourne’s Women’s cricket program, the night was a coming together to recognise the Demons’ four Women’s 2021/22 premierships across the Under 18s, Premier Thirds, Premier Seconds and Premier Firsts competitions.
MCC Women’s Cricket Coordinator, Marcella Torre said the Club had come so far from its early days of launching the Women’s program.
“Those early days were tough. There was many a shellacking had on the field, and off the field we had challenges at times in just getting enough players to fill the sides some weeks,” Ms Torre said.
“But we had a clear strategy for longevity: we knew we needed to grow from the bottom up.
“Tonight’s (event) shows that it’s paid off immensely and that was coming from just over a decade ago. Four flags certainly makes those early years of pain much easier to swallow.”
The evening also saw the presentation of the blazers to the First XI premiership players, with MCC President Michael Happell on hand to hand over the iconic red, white and blue jackets. Seven players - Teagan Parker, Anna O'Donnell, Amy Vine, Ella Hayward, Steph Townsend, Hayleigh Brennan and Elly Donald - became dual-premiership players after being involved in the 2018/19 premiership.
It was an extra-special moment for Rhiann O'Donnell, Hasrat Gill, Erika Quinn and Zoe Samuel, who were presented with their premiership blazers for the first time.
The following night, the Olympic Room played host the 2021/22 Cricket Victoria Premier Cricket Awards, with many MCC Cricketers recognised for their outstanding individual seasons.
After completing a clean sweep of the Women’s competitions, including winning the Club Championship - which was presented to captain-coach Teagan Parker on the evening - plenty of the talented players who contributed to the success were recognised with awards.
Top-order batter Amy Vine (586 runs @ 83.71), all-rounder Ella Hayward (345 runs @ 34.50 and 25 wickets @ 10.16) and 16 year-old leg-spinner Hasrat Gill (26 wickets @ 11.92) – who was the competition’s leading wicket-taker in her first full-season of First XI cricket – were named in the Women’s Premier Team of the Season.
Fifteen year-old Zoe Samuel was also recognised as one of the up-and-coming stars of the competition, winning the award for Women’s Premier Firsts 'Best First Season Player' award. In her 11 matches in the First XI, Samuel made 119 runs @ 29.75 and took 11 wickets @ 15.00 with her medium-pace, and becoming a premiership player in the process.
A career-best season with the bat for Jack Harper (670 runs @ 51.54) was acknowledged by his selection in the Men’s Premier Team of the Season, as number four batter and wicket-keeper. Harper also polled 26 votes in the Ryder Medal, only four votes shy of eventual winner Dean Russ.
All-rounder Fergus O’Neill (381 runs @ 42.33 and 26 wickets @ 19.31) made it back-to-back selections after being named in the team last year as well, further highlighting his charge towards becoming one of the stars of the competition.
Emerging teenagers Kyle Parrott and James Rosham also received awards as the 'Player of the Season' in the Men’s Third and Fourth XI, respectively, in what was their first full season in the competition.
Both talented top-order batters who bowl quality off-spin, Parrott compiled 430 runs and took 15 wickets from 12 matches to take out the award, whilst Rosham finished the season with 136 runs and 22 wickets from 12 Fourth XI matches.
Beaumaris Secondary College was once again recognised as the benchmark facility in Premier Cricket, taking out the Third and Fourth XI Ground of the Year award. The venues at Beaumaris and the Albert Ground hosted five of the seven Premier Cricket grand finals across the Women’s and Men’s competitions.
MELBOURNE PREMIER CRICKET AWARD WINNERS
Women’s Premier Firsts Best First Season Player: Zoe SamuelWomen’s Premier Team of the Season: Amy Vine, Ella Hayward and Hasrat Gill
Men’s Premier Thirds Player of the Season: Kyle Parrott
Men’s Premier Fourths Player of the Season: James Rosham
Men’s Premier Team of the Season: Jack Harper (wicketkeeper), Fergus O’Neill