SEYMOUR District Cricket Association celebrated a successful season with its annual awards night earlier this month.
Kilmore’s Dale Tassone was named the association’s cricketer of the year and best all-rounder after compiling 602 runs and eight wickets at averages of 43 and 17.6 respectively.
Yea Tigers paceman Damon Malcolm picked up the Frank Zanelli Medal and best bowler award after taking a season-high 33 wickets at an average of 18.18.
The association’s cricketer of the year award is allocated on a points-based system, while the Frank Zanelli Medal is awarded based on votes.
Tassone and Malcolm both featured in the association’s team of the year, Tassone opening the batting with Broadford captain Ash Wood and Malcolm leading the bowling attack.
Kilmore and Yea Tigers, the association’s two grand finalists, had the most representatives in the side with three each. Tassone was joined by Jacob Walton and Josh Buttler for Kilmore, while Tigers skipper Marc Steiner and batsman Cam Armstrong were selected alongside Malcolm.
Tallarook captain Lachie Watts and wicket keeper Cam Muir were both picked, while Broadford’s Taylor Shell and Jack Connell joined Wood in the side.
Eastern Hill spinner Daniel O’Sullivan was the lone player picked from a side that did not play finals.
SDCA president Ben Trezise said he was thrilled simply to have finished the season.
“At the start we didn’t know if we would have a season. We could only train in groups of 10 with masks on before and after, and we couldn’t play,” he said.
“When we had the five-day lockdown we missed a week as well, so it was never guaranteed that we were going to complete the season, but we’re damn happy to have done it.
“We appreciate that all the clubs adhered to the restrictions and were prepared and willing to do it so that we could run a competition.”
Trezise congratulated all the league’s award winners and thanked outgoing secretary Fiona Tarran for her six years as an association office bearer.
“I want to say a big thank you to her. She’s been with us for six years and done an awesome job, so she’s going to be very hard to replace,” he said.
SDCA award winners
A Grade
Batting: Lachlan Watts (Tallarook)
Bowling: Damon Malcolm (Yea)
All-rounder/ player of the year: Dale Tassone (Kilmore)
Frank Zanelli Medal: Damon Malcolm (Yea)
B Grade
Batting: Kevin Craddock (Kilmore)
Bowling: Pavi Singh (Kilmore)
All-rounder/ player of the year: Kevin Craddock (Kilmore)
John Gadd Medal: Kevin Craddock (Kilmore); Connor Stute (Broadford)
C Grade
Batting: Paul Lilburn (Kilmore)
Bowling: Jamison Black (Avenel)
All-rounder/ player of the year: Hamish Stares (Yea)
Lawrie Boyd Medal: Regan Kirby (Seymour)
U16s
Batting: Brodie Stray (Broadford)
Bowling: Thomas Archibald (Kilmore)
All-rounder/ player of the year: Brodie Stray (Broadford)
Ken Hall Medal: Josh Speechley (Eastern Hill); Declan Teohaere (Broadford); Riley Nolan (Broadford)
U14s
Batting: Joshua Nolan (Broadford)
Bowling: Rhys Ferraro (Kilmore)
All-rounder/ player of the year: Joshua Nolan (Broadford)
Sam Watts Medal: Joshua Nolan (Broadford)
2021 Team of the Year
Dale Tassone
Ash Wood
Lachlan Watts
Jacob Walton
Cameron Armstrong
Marc Steiner (capt)
Joshua Buttler (vc) (all-rounder)
Cameron Muir (wicket keeper)
Daniel O’Sullivan (spinner)
Damon Malcolm
Taylor Shell
Jack Connell
