FOUR Gippsland cricketers were named in the 2012/13 Victorian Country Cricket League team announced on Monday, including Latrobe’s Kaushik Aphale.
The side, which is selected on a strictly statistical basis, is part of a VCCL strategy to familiarise itself with talented players in competitions outside the major metro divisions.
“Carrying out this exercise shows players that, statistically, they do stack up against one another. We all understand there are different levels of competition but you can only bat and bowl against the players on the other team. Selecting a statistical VCCL team of the year gives us a starting point for working out our best players, and sorting potential Victorian country squad members for the Australian national championships,” selector Kelvin White said.
The team contains two opening batsmen, four top and middle order batsmen, an all-rounder, a wicketkeeper and four bowlers, at least one of whom has to be a spinner.
Aphale was the only player selected from the Latrobe Valley, after scoring 691 runs at an average of 98.71, including three centuries, throughout the regular Central Gippsland season.
VCCL TEAM OF THE YEAR
Luke Jackson Carranballac Grenville CHS 862 runs at 86.20
Mark Brown Numurkah Shepparton NR 849 runs at 84.90
Luke Carter Strathmerton Murray Valley NR 808 runs at 89.78
Clinton Peake (C) South Barwon Geelong Barwon 690 runs at 98.57
Kaushik Aphale Latrobe Central Gippsland 691 runs at 98.71
Gavin Britt Wonthaggi Workers Leongatha Gippsland 715 runs at 71.50
Kane Jones (VC) Mt Evelyn Yarra Valley SE 596 runs at 46.00 and 43 wickets at 12.44
Dylan Weeding (WK) East Albury Albury/Wodonga NE 265 at 22.08 24 catch 2 stumpings
Heath Wadden Riddell Gisborne CHS 46 wickets at 8.50 (LAFM)
Nathan Smith West B’dale Bairnsdale Gippsland 48 wickets at 8.71 (RAF)
Tim Wightman Nerrena Leongatha Gippsland 44 wickets at 16.27 (Leggie)
Matthew McMahon Brown Hill Ballarat CHS 53 wickets at 11.08 (RAF)
