Sport
The News picks its ones to watch on the eve of the 2024-25 Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield season
Who will break games open in the Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield this season?
It’s tough to read the tea leaves before a ball has been bowled, but with a cast of new and returning faces, we had a crack at ranking our top 10 ones to watch during the summer.
1) Liam Evans (Waaia)
The battle between Evans and Kyle Mueller will be epic with the latter entering Cricket Shepparton’s ranks once again.
Both went toe-to-toe in Murray Football League this season and Mueller had the last laugh with 101 goals and a flag to boot, but when push comes to shove in the middle, Evans will seek to get one back over his dual-code foe.
The ex-Nathalia blazing bat struck a handful of half-centuries in the Murray Valley Cricket Association last season and tonned up once, going along with his trio of five-fors and single 10-wicket match.
Remarks from his new captain Mitch Cleeland sum up how highly rated Evans is at Bomberland.
“The last season he was here he won the league medal and we’re not saying or suggesting that he has to do that again, but it certainly creates an excitement for us and we’re hoping adding a player of that calibre back in can well and truly put us up there ready to take that next step,” he said.
Side note: Mueller would feature on this list, but frankly his talents are already well documented. We’re expecting him to do what the ‘‘Wiz’’ does again this season.
2) Jesse Trower (Waaia)
Wherever Jesse Trower goes, wickets follow.
This bloke loves crashing castles more than the Stormin’ Normans, and his half-century of poles across all formats in the 2023-24 season cements him as the league’s wrecking force with ball in hand.
His brother Sam may be jetting off to Darwin to pursue his football dreams in the Top End, but Trower will look to make the ball sing from end to end for Waaia.
For another year, the message of “batters beware’’ will ring true each time Trower takes his mark.
3) Seb Menzhausen (Shepparton United)
Even without watching him face a single ball, you still get the feeling that Shepparton United’s international recruit Menzhausen oozes class.
The talented top-order left-handed — already a tick for classy — batter has arrived at Princess Park this season to help steer United’s ship back towards A-grade finals.
The 22-year-old has previously played a couple of second XI County matches for Nottinghamshire and is keen to get back to that level in a hurry.
Apparently a wizard in the field, Menzhausen has the potential to take the 2024-25 season by storm and drag him and United back to where they belong.
4) Connor Hayes (Central Park St-Brendan’s)
Like several other picks on this list, there’s no immediate frame of reference as far as the Haisman Shield goes for Connor Hayes.
Having made the rite of passage to Greenvale to ply his trade among the state’s best club-level cricketers some years ago, Central Park observers will need no introduction to his prowess.
Hayes arrives home to further reinforce a batting line-up that coach Tyler Larkin will seek more out of in 2024-25, and this offensive talisman figures to produce all that and more with the willow.
The Tigers are expecting to compete with the deepest intentions, more in line with the club’s not-so-distant dynasty years, so look to Hayes for a jump-start.
5) Mark Nolan (Nagambie)
Nagambie’s wily all-rounder Mark Nolan could not have done much more for his Lakers last season.
Coaching Nagambie to sixth before losing the elimination final to Waaia in a one-wicket thriller, Nolan was the Lakers’ calm skipper in the wild storm that is Haisman Shield cricket.
Not only did Nolan lead with his voice, but also through his actions, as he was a menace with the shiny Kookaburra ball in hand.
The gun all-rounder took 39 wickets for the season — second most in A-grade — while he was also a steady presence with bat in hand, averaging 30 runs each outing.
This season, with the coaching reins handed to Zac Winter-Irving, Nolan can now unleash the beast and will look to take his game to an even higher level.
6) Jack Gaskill (Mooroopna)
New Mooroopna coach Henry Barrow stated that the side “still has a lot of match-winners” despite a swathe of senior departures.
If you’re looking for that quality in a player for season 2024-25, look no further than this man.
Gaskill powered through with 183 runs last season with a half-century and three knocks of 35 or better despite never hitting higher than sixth, capped with a mercurial display out of the eight-hole under lights to edge the Cats over Tatura.
A five-for under his belt at Waaia’s expense and multiple scalps on eight of the 10 occasions in which he bowled last year make this dynamic all-rounder a rusted-on selection.
7) Stephen Barrett (Katandra)
A revitalised Katandra is ready to challenge for the A-grade premiership again in 2024-25.
The Eagles’ new-look team with opening batter Ben Pedretti as captain will be boosted by the return of prodigal son Barrett.
Having been a key part of Katandra’s A-grade side in years gone, Barrett has returned to the Eagles this summer to strengthen their batting and add a touch of class and panache to the wicketkeeping role.
Last season, playing for Bendigo United in the Sir John Lienhop Shield, Barrett struck 303 runs — a top score of 100 — to go with 16 catches and a couple of stumpings.
If Barrett can continue his hot form in both aspects of his game, the Eagles will once again be challenging for the A-grade shield come March 2025.
8 Jayden and Blake Armstrong (Tatura)
To slightly cheat the one to watch theme, coming in at number eight are Tatura’s Armstrong brothers, Blake and Jayden.
Tatura finished two wins away from a spot in the top six last season and, with the consensus from coaches being that the competition is incredibly even, Tatura will need its players to step up further this summer.
Last season, captain Jayden performed well with bat and ball, scoring four 50s for a total of 339 runs, while also taking 11 wickets.
Meanwhile, Blake was one of the club’s best, scoring 226 runs and taking 22 wickets, with a season-best haul of 6-22 against Northerners in round 10.
If the Armstrongs can hit a rich vein of form again this summer, Tatura could secure a spot in the top six and from there we all know what can happen — nudge, nudge, wink, wink Kyabram.
9) Ben Beaumont (Numurkah)
Like Evans, Beaumont took the proverbial you know what in the MVCA last season.
The Barooga bullet chalked up 689 runs and 29 wickets in all competitions for the Hawks and it’s safe to say he oozes class like many of the upper crust imports to grace Cricket Shepparton.
While a cloud of uncertainty swirls over his availability due to Visa issues, Numurkah coach Gino Saracino promises pyrotechnics if the BB gun fires for the Blues.
“We think that if he gets his Visa sorted, he’d be a massive, massive in. He’s a gun, he’s a quality player and a quality person,” he said.
10) Hayden Cann (Pine Lodge)
There’s much yet to see as far as Pine Lodge’s overall prospects in the deep waters of Haisman Shield cricket, but the upstart club has at least one prominent hitter up its sleeve.
Cann certainly did little to harm his credentials in the Clyde Young Shield last season, racking up a comfortable team-high 416 runs at 29.71 amidst a successful run for the club.
Boasting an unbeaten century against Shepparton United in that campaign, the opener will seek to recapture his best form against the best in the region.