By Tyler Lewis
Jordan Hammond etched himself into Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) folklore on Sunday, when he was crowned Hallam Kalora Park’s sixth Alan Wookey Medal winner.
Of those six to win the coveted award for the Hawks, two of them are Hammond’s, as Jordan’s uncle Richard claimed the prized back in 1992/93.
The all-rounder crunched 323 runs at 46.14 to go with his 26 wickets at 12.31.
Hammond was out of the top-10 after round four, an equal leader after round seven, the outright leader after round 11, and the Wookey Medallist after round 14.
With 5/8 and 66 not out in the respective penultimate and final matches of the year, it was going to be hard for the Hawks skipper to be reeled in.
And fittingly, as his final votes came as a result through his divine performance with the bat, it’s his batting that Hammond feels has improved him as a cricketer this summer.
“This year I think I was more consistent with both bat and ball,” he said.
“In previous years I have probably been better with ball, I think I have probably had my best year I have ever had with the bat.
“The one-day format probably helps, suits me more, especially in the back half of the year with the white ball.
“I haven’t really been a top order bat in past years, but I have worked hard on new ball stuff, getting through the new ball if I ever have to go in early.
“I have worked a little bit on it, being local cricket you train as much as you can with work and stuff, but I have improved on facing the newer ball,” Hammond said.
Despite the Hawks leader adding to the poolroom in the last two white-ball seasons, with a premiership last year and now a Wookey Medal, Hammond believes his side is going to be well suited for the return of two-day cricket.
“Being able to bowl a few more spells and bat more overs will be a good thing,” he said.
“As a team it will probably help us as well having a lot of guys that dig in and take their time a bit, which kind of meant we fell apart a bit this year in terms of scoring and whatnot.
“I will keep working on the batting as much as I can, but I think it’s a good thing that the red ball is going to come back next year”.
With the wash-out to Springvale South and Berwick in the final round all but securing the award ahead of Bloods spearhead Blade Baxter, Hammond is confident he would trade it in for a place on the park this Saturday.
“As honoured as I am, and as prestigious as the award is, I would happily trade in to be playing next week and to be playing for another premiership,” Hammond said.
“I will be playing at Hallam for the rest of my life, I am happy to take the individual awards as they come, but premierships are what we aspire for in a team sport.
“I love playing with my mates at Hallam and that is what our goal is.”
Despite having three of the XI selected for the Team of the Year, Hammond’s Hawks will miss this summer’s DDCA Turf 1 finals series, finishing in fifth.
DDCA TURF 1 – TEAM OF THE YEAR
Ryan Quirk (Springvale South)
Leigh Booth (Hallam Kalora Park)
Mahela Udawatte (Buckley Ridges)
Jordan Wyatt (Springvale South)
Clayton McCartney (North Dandenong)
Jordan Hammond (Hallam Kalora Park)
Blade Baxter (Springvale South)
Ciaron Connolly (Hallam Kalora Park)
James Wilcock (Berwick)
Matthew Goodwright (Buckley Ridges)
Kasun Niranjana (St Mary’s)
ALAN WOOKEY MEDAL – TOP FIVE
Jordan Hammond 39
Blade Baxter 31
Mahela Udawatte 27
Kyle Hardy 25
James Wilcock 23
