In this edition of Tyler’s Top Ten, Gazette Reporter TYLER LEWIS takes a look at the best individual batting performances in local cricket grand finals from recent years in the area of coverage…
10. Anthony Gapes (Mornington MPCA) 2013/14
Gapes spent every ball of the big dance in the middle. The four innings slog was played between two great sides and the low run chase was made harder with conditions for bowling on all days. Gapes nudged 54 not out in the first innings and 46 not out in the second, making an even 100 not out for the match. The left-hander spent 153 overs at the crease with the bat and is remembered for constantly wearing balls from the Sorrento quicks.
9. Ben Hillard (Hallam Kalora Park DDCA) 2020/21
It’s not always the size of the knock by the numbers, but the size of the knock in significance. Hillard made one of the more gritty half-centuries in last seasons DDCA grand final, facing off one of the strongest attacks in local cricket. He controversially slides in, despite it not leaving the scorers requiring more ink.
8. Mark Cooper (Kooweerup WGCA) 2017/18
Cooper’s 101 in the 17/18 big dance was a true captain’s knock. The skipper hit just five boundaries and three sixes in his terrific innings. His knock set a perfect platform for the Dees finishers to bat Pakenham out of it in the first dig.
7. Tom Donnell (Dandenong VPC) 2011/12
It’s labelled the best Premier Cricket grand final ever. And it’s one where Donnell top scored in both innings for the eventual premier. He slugged away at 84 in the first dig, reeling in Frankston’s 224, and then 50 in the second on a worn deck. His combined grand final numbers read: 134 from 284 balls with just 12 boundaries, spending a whopping 347 minutes in the heat of battle.
6. Scott Phillips (Narre South DDCA) 2018/19
In a brilliant all-round performance, Phillips was worthy of best afield. His unbeaten 101 came from 111 rocks after his side was 5/42 in reply of local Narre North’s 206. Despite the 14 boundary-folklore-defining-display, Phillips comes in at number six, purely because we at the Gazette still aren’t entirely sure if Scotty got lucky first cherry…
5. Simon Dart (Red Hill MPCA) 2016/17
All-round superstar Simon Dart had to dig deep to claim premiership glory in 2016/17. Delacombe Park batted for 113 overs, setting 8/307. Red Hill were forced to bat briefly late on day 2 and fell to 2/42 when Dart walked to the crease. He then didn’t return until it was won, noodling 133 not out from 270 balls to reel in the total.
4. Nathan King (Springvale South DDCA) 2018/19
In reply to David White’s mammoth innings, King compiled his own, crunching 136 off 146 deliveries, a knock that included 13 fours and four sixes. In a clear depiction of field manipulation, King struck at 91, but hit just 76 of his 136 runs in boundaries. Like White, King was also run out off the hand of the bowler, and with the score at 0/185 at the time, one can only wonder what could’ve been.
178365 Picture: ROB CAREW
3. Tom Hussey (Tooradin WGCA) 2012/13
When on-song there isn’t many better to watch than Tom Hussey and grand final day 2012/13 was no exception. The class glove-man guided the Gulls to 266 with his 146 at the top. He had seven batting partners in the sensational grinding knock.
2. Daniel Watson (Buckley Ridges DDCA) 2012/13
Watson simply won the Bucks the Turf 1 premiership on day one with his brilliant 188 not out against Mordialloc. He strolled to the crease at 2/16 and proceeded to see off 268 rocks where he dispatched two sixes and 17 fours. The Bucks posted 5/342.
Picture: GARY SISSONS
164113_06
1. David White (Buckley Ridges DDCA) 2018/19
After walking out to bat at 1/10 in the big dance against Springvale South, White crunched a swash-buckling 178 from 218 balls, guiding Buckley to 6/326 from its 90 overs in the DDCA grand final. The knock included seven fours and 11 maximums, it ended the only way imaginable: run out off the hand of the bowler from his partners straight drive.
