Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
IN a season where the flag was ultimately decided by ladder positions, Spring Gully had an extra reason to be bitterly disappointed in not making the most of its top spot in the Emu Valley Cricket Association in 2019-20.
With no grand final played due to the coronavirus pandemic, the premiership was awarded to the higher-placed of the scheduled grand final combatants.
But despite finishing on top of the ladder, that wasn't Spring Gully once the Crows had been upset by Emu Creek by one wicket in a semi-final thriller after falling agonisingly short of defending 148, with the premiership instead being awarded to arch rivals United to further the blow.
That's now two years in a row the Crows have finished on top of the ladder, but have no silverware to show for their efforts.
The most memorable performance by a Spring Gully player for the season came in round seven when Alex Sutton tormented Mandurang, taking 7-5 off seven overs in the first innings, including a hat-trick.
That was one of three five-wicket hauls for the season for the crafty Sutton, while with the bat, the Crows were the only team to have two players make more than 500 runs - star all-rounder Rhys Webb (574) and Lachlan Brook (503).
IN A NUTSHELL
Record - 9-3-2
Finished - 3rd
Batting rank - 4th
Bowling rank - 1st
Average scores:
Batting - 268
Bowling - 151
SEASON RESULTS
Round 1: 6-243 def Marong 9-102
Round 2: 308 def California Gully 225
Round 3: 301 drew West Bendigo 0-0
Round 4: 5-215 def Axe Creek 79 & 116
Round 5: 164 lt United 227
Round 6: 185 def Marong 128
Round 7: 6-278 def Mandurang 40 & 81
Round 8: 8-205 def Maiden Gully 187
Round 9: 2-180 def Emu Creek 7-165
Round 10: 7-124 def California Gully 116
Round 11: 6-104 drew Maiden Gully 168
Round 12: 9-290 def Sedgwick 9-212
Round 13: 182 lt Emu Creek 186
Semi-final: 148 lt Emu Creek 9-153
LADDER POSITIONS
Round 1: 2nd (1-0)
Round 2: 3rd (2-0)
Round 3: 2nd (2-0-1)
Round 4: 1st (3-0-1)
Round 5: 3rd (3-1-1)
Round 6: 3rd (4-1-1)
Round 7: 1st (5-1-1)
Round 8: 1st (6-1-1)
Round 9: 1st (7-1-1)
Round 10: 1st (8-1-1)
Round 11: 1st (8-1-2)
Round 12: 1st (9-1-2)
Round 13: 1st (9-2-2)
TOP 5 BATSMEN
1 - Rhys Webb
Runs: 574 Inns: 14
Avr: 41.00 High: 151
100s: 2 50s: 1
League rank: 1
............................................
2 - Lachlan Brook
Runs: 503 Inns: 14
Avr: 38.69 High: 79
100s: 0 50s: 5
League rank: 5
............................................
3 - Shaun Makepeace
Runs: 343 Inns: 11
Avr: 31.18 High: 107
100s: 1 50s: 1
League rank: 16
............................................
4 - Byron Perrin
Runs: 274 Inns: 10
Avr: 91.33 High: 67*
100s: 0 50s: 2
League rank: 29
............................................
5 - Jesse Marciano
Runs: 222 Inns: 7
Avr: 37.00 High: 111
100s: 1 50s: 1
League rank: 39
TOP 5 BOWLERS
1 - James Fox
Wkts: 32 Overs: 162
Avr: 16.25 Best: 5-47
Strike: 30.38 5W Inns: 1
League rank: 3
............................................
2 - Alex Sutton
Wkts: 30 Overs: 116
Avr: 9.07 Best: 7-5
Strike: 23.20 5W Inns: 3
League rank: 5
............................................
3 - Nick Skeen
Wkts: 27 Overs: 147
Avr: 15.48 Best: 6-41
Strike: 32.67 5W Inns: 2
League rank: 8
............................................
4 - Rhys Webb
Wkts: 17 Overs: 129
Avr: 19.18 Best: 4-53
Strike: 45.53 5W Inns: 0
League rank: 19
............................................
5 - Byron Perrin
Wkts: 14 Overs: 110
Avr: 18.21 Best: 3-18
Strike: 47.14 5W Inns: 0
League rank: 26
TOP 5 MVP POINTS
1 - Rhys Webb
Points: 1034
Runs: 574 Wickets: 17
Fielding: 12
League rank: 4
............................................
2 - James Fox
Points: 839
Runs: 119 Wickets: 32
Fielding: 7
League rank: 8
............................................
3 - Alex Sutton
Points: 726
Runs: 96 Wickets: 30
Fielding: 3
League rank: 15
............................................
4 - Lachlan Brook
Points: 653
Runs: 503 Wickets: 1
Fielding: 13
League rank: 20
............................................
5 - Nick Skeen
Points: 614
Runs: 24 Wickets: 27
Fielding: 5
League rank: 26
CENTURIES
151 - Rhys Webb
vs California Gully, rd 2
116 - Rhys Webb
vs West Bendigo, rd 3
111 - Jesse Marciano
vs Sedgwick, rd 12
107 - Shaun Makepeace
vs Mandurang, rd 7
FIVE-FORS:
7-5 - Alex Sutton
vs Mandurang, rd 7
6-41 - Nick Skeen
vs Marong, rd 6
6-45 - Nick Skeen
vs Sedgwick, rd 12
5-12 - Liam Pilcher
vs Axe Creek, rd 4
5-43 - Alex Sutton
vs Emu Creek, semi-final
5-45 - Alex Sutton
vs Emu Creek, rd 13
5-47 - James Fox
vs Maiden Gully, rd 11
TWENTY20 COMPETITION
Record - 5-1
lost final to United
MOST RUNS:
James Fox - 153
MOST WICKETS:
Alex Sutton - 11
2019-20 SEASON BDCA-EVCA CLUB REVIEW SERIES:
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.