STRATHDALE-Maristians’ batsman Andrew Chalkley has become the first player to break through the 1000-run barrier in the Bendigo District Cricket Association’s Twenty20 competition.
It has taken 11 seasons for the BDCA’s Twenty20 format to have its first 1000-run player, with Chalkley’s knock of 34 against Bendigo United on Tuesday night taking him to 1019 runs.
The classy left-hander has played with three clubs in the BDCA Twenty20 competition.
The bulk of Chalkley’s Twenty20 games have been with the Suns (752 runs), while he also had stints as a marquee player with both Eaglehawk (175) and Sandhurst (92) while he was playing Premier Cricket with the Monash Tigers.
As well as being the first player to 1000 Twenty20 runs, Chalkley is also the only batsman who has two T20 centuries – one of which was an unbeaten 112 in the Suns’ 2015-16 grand final win over Bendigo.
Chalkley will get an opportunity to add to his tally of T20 runs when the Suns play fellow unbeaten team Kangaroo Flat in the grand final at the QEO on Wednesday, January 23.
It will be the Suns’ sixth Twenty20 grand final, with the club gunning for its fifth premiership, while the Roos are one of three clubs – along with Eaglehawk and Sandhurst – yet to win a T20 flag.
• All-time BDCA T20 leading run-scorers:
1019 – Andrew Chalkley
944 – Ben Gunn
849 – Brent Hamblin
733 – Cameron Taylor
721 – Greg Lyon
695 – James Seymour
676 – Adam Burns
662 – Tyler Hinds
644 – Ryan Grundy
643 – Andrew Smith
Meanwhile, James Vlaeminck’s century for Strathdale-Maristians on Tuesday night elevated him to the top of this season’s T20 runs tally.
Vlaemninck’s 105 lifted his tally of runs for 2018-19 to 151 at an average of 75.5.
• Top run-scorers:
151 – James Vlaeminck
(Strathdale-Maristians)
124 – Taylor Beard
(Sandhurst)
116 – Sandun Ranathunga
(Huntly-North Epsom)
113 – Andrew Chalkley
(Strathdale-Maristians)
107 – Adam Ward
(Huntly-North Epsom)
• Top wicket-takers:
8 – Dylan Klemm
(Kangaroo Flat)
8 – Linc Jacobs
(White Hills)
8 – Cameron Taylor
(Strathdale-Maristians)
7 – Chathura Damith
(Strathfieldsaye)
7 – Mitchell Whittle
(Huntly-North Epsom)
• Team records:
POOL 1 – Strathdale (4-0), Eaglehawk (2-2), Huntly-North Epsom (2-2), Bendigo (1-3), Bendigo United (1-3).
POOL 2 – Kangaroo Flat (4-0), White Hills (3-1), Strathfieldsaye (2-2), Sandhurst (1-3), Golden Square (0-4).
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