WEST Bendigo endured a sixth consecutive season out of the Emu Valley Cricket Association finals after ending 2019-20 in seventh position.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Redbacks won just three games, one of which was against grand finalist Emu Creek in round two when they plundered 6-365 in a 70-run victory.
That victory over Emu Creek was highlighted by a superb knock of 139 from Connor Robertson, while veteran opener Travis O'Connell later delivered the competition's best batting performance of the season.
Having already held West Bendigo's record score of 208 n.o. set two seasons earlier, O'Connell raised the benchmark by cracking an unbeaten 235 against California Gully in round seven.
For the third season in a row O'Connell topped the Redbacks' batting, belting 549 runs - the EVCA's most in the home and away season, with the tally passed by Spring Gully's Rhys Webb (574) during the finals.
O'Connell was selected as an opener in the EVCA Team of the Year, while the Redbacks also had Tarran Kilcullen picked.
Kilcullen claimed 32 wickets for the season, which included 12 in back-to-back games against finalists Spring Gully (5-69) and United (7-47) in rounds three and four.
Kilcullen had a heavy workload for the Redbacks, sending down 177 overs for the season, with his 32 wickets double that of West Bendigo's next best bowler, Shannon Murphy (16).
The Redbacks have already begun adding the pieces for improvement next season, signing batsman Bodee Scullie from Strathfieldsaye and all-rounder Josh Eastley from Woodend.
IN A NUTSHELL
Record - 3-9-1
Finished - 8th
Batting rank - 8th
Bowling rank - 9th
Average scores:
Batting - 181
Bowling - 317
SEASON RESULTS
Round 1: 95 lt Sedgwick 5-259
Round 2: 6-365 def Emu Creek 9-295
Round 3: 0-0 drew Spring Gully 301
Round 4: 79 & 90 lt United 232 - outright
Round 5: 68 & 167 lt Mandurang 6-167 & 1-69 - outright
Round 6: 187 lt Sedgwick 269
Round 7: 6-359 & 2-54 def California Gully 236
Round 8: 7-172 def Axe Creek 9-170
Round 9: 163 lt Maiden Gully 3-177
Round 10: 127 lt Emu Creek 4-132
Round 11: 138 lt Axe Creek 176
Round 12: 185 & 1-11 lt Marong 6-353
Round 13: 134 & 4-74 lt Maiden Gully 6-311
LADDER POSITIONS
Round 1: 9th (0-1)
Round 2: 7th (1-1)
Round 3: 7th (1-1-1)
Round 4: 8th (1-2-1)
Round 5: 9th (1-3-1)
Round 6: 9th (1-4-1)
Round 7: 7th (2-4-1)
Round 8: 6th (3-4-1)
Round 9: 7th (3-5-1)
Round 10: 8th (3-6-1)
Round 11: 8th (3-7-1)
Round 12: 8th (3-8-1)
Round 13: 8th (3-9-1)
TOP 5 BATSMEN
1 - Travis O'Connell
Runs: 549 Inns: 13
Avr: 49.91 High: 235*
100s: 1 50s: 2
League rank: 2
............................................
2 - Connor Robertson
Runs: 333 Inns: 12
Avr: 27.75 High: 139
100s: 1 50s: 1
League rank: 17
............................................
3 - Zac Makeham
Runs: 206 Inns: 12
Avr: 17.17 High: 97
100s: 0 50s: 1
League rank: 45
............................................
4 - Ben Derrick
Runs: 162 Inns: 8
Avr: 20.25 High: 38
100s: 0 50s: 0
League rank: 62
............................................
5 - Sam Hitchcock
Runs: 138 Inns: 14
Avr: 9.86 High: 24
100s: 0 50s: 0
League rank: 70
TOP 5 BOWLERS
1 - Tarran Kilcullen
Wkts: 32 Overs: 177
Avr: 21.91 Best: 7-47
Strike: 33.19 5W Inns: 2
League rank: 4
............................................
2 - Shannon Murphy
Wkts: 16 Overs: 107
Avr: 26.31 Best: 4-44
Strike: 40.13 5W Inns: 0
League rank: 21
............................................
3 - Josh Connolly
Wkts: 12 Overs: 67
Avr: 21.33 Best: 5-35
Strike: 33.50 5W Inns: 1
League rank: 35
............................................
4 - Zac Makeham
Wkts: 9 Overs: 79
Avr: 43.67 Best: 3-57
Strike: 52.67 5W Inns: 0
League rank: 50
............................................
5 - Tom Floyd
Wkts: 6 Overs: 33
Avr: 18.17 Best: 2-10
Strike: 33.00 5W Inns: 0
League rank: 58
TOP 5 MVP POINTS
1 - Tarran Kilcullen
Points: 791
Runs: 106 Wickets: 32
Fielding: 4
League rank: 11
............................................
2 - Travis O'Connell
Points: 664
Runs: 549 Wickets: 1
Fielding: 9
League rank: 18
............................................
3 - Shannon Murphy
Points: 420
Runs: 35 Wickets: 16
Fielding: 6
League rank: 49
............................................
4 - Zac Makeham
Points: 396
Runs: 206 Wickets: 9
Fielding: 1
League rank: 52
............................................
5 - Connor Robertson
Points: 363
Runs: 333 Wickets: 0
Fielding: 3
League rank: 58
CENTURIES
235* - Travis O'Connell
vs California Gully, rd 7
139 - Connor Robertson
vs Emu Creek, rd 2
FIVE-FORS:
7-47 - Tarran Kilcullen
vs United, rd 4
5-35 - Josh Connolly
vs Axe Creek, rd 11
5-69 - Tarran Kilcullen
vs Spring Gully, rd 3
TWENTY20 COMPETITION
Record - 2-2
MOST RUNS:
Travis O'Connell - 86
MOST WICKETS:
Josh Connolly - 5
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.
