By Marcus Uhe
The race for the Gartside Medal as the premier player in the Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Turf 2 competition is set to go down to the wire this season as a handful of names jockey for the division’s highest honour.
There’s a pair of Pirates, a new Magpie, an international Eagle, a mysterious spinner and the reigning champion all in the running this season, while a Lyndale seamer is coming home with a rush.
Let’s break down the contenders.
TRIYAN DE SILVA – HSD
348 runs at 34.80, 3 x 50s. 19 wickets at 19.11, 1 five-wicket haul
Three players have won multiple Gartside Medals since its inception in the 2001/02 season.
De Silva is right in the mix to become number four, and the second to win the award in consecutive years, following Peter Sweeney’s back-to-back triumphs for Cranbourne in 2021/22 and 2022/23.
While not displaying the dominance of previous seasons, De Silva’s consistency flies under the radar and he remains one of the primary focuses of opposition’s scouting reports.
After a quiet beginning to the summer, rounds five (2/20 and 79), seven (97 and 1/57), nine (5/29 and 21) and 10 (4/27) will be where the all-rounder makes his move.
MALAN MADUSANKA – COOMOORA
27 wickets at 18.22.
One of the hottest players in the competition in the opening half of the season who spun his Roos to victory on multiple occasions.
As teams saw him for the first time and battled to figure the left-arm finger spinners out, Madusanka pounced and quickly became one of the division’s most feared prospects.
Rounds four (4/15), five (4/43) and six (3/9) may very well see him collect the maximum votes in a three-week span and open an early lead, as a crucial figure in two tight defences and a first innings domination.
His form did not translate particularly well to red ball cricket, but his match-winning heroics were on show once again in round nine, with three huge wickets in a tight win over Lyndale.
His back half of the season will be lean when it comes to votes, so his white ball period may be what gets him over the edge.
SATHEESH FERNANDU – PARKMORE
344 runs at 38.22, 4 x 50s. 13 wickets at 16.31.
A new arrival to the DDCA scene this summer, Fernandu took to the competition like a duck to water in his new colours, quickly forming an essential piece of the Pirates’ puzzle.
Runs (51, 35, 61) and wickets (1/21, 2/30) in his first three outings will see him steal an early march in the count before Madusanka gets into his work, while rounds seven (44 and 2/14) and eight (78) will see the seam-bowling all-rounder close the gap.
While his bowling has remained consistent throughout the summer, with wickets in eight of his first 10 bowling performances, his batting has fallen away post-Christmas.
Sitting at an average of 46.6 after round nine, single-figures scores since Christmas have seen it dip considerably to 38.22.
Like Madusanka, his placing at the midway point off the count will be vital in determining his landing spot.
ANKIT SAXENA – PARKMORE
27 wickets at 10.22.
There’s hardly been a player more consistent than the Pirates’ metronomic and unnerving accurate opening bowler.
In just one innings he failed to grab a scalp for his side, having led the competition for wickets taken for much of the campaign, in a side entrenched in the top three for the duration.
In seven of the Pirates’ first eight bowling innings he finished with the best figures for his side, with an economy rate barely breaching three runs per over.
He and Fernandu may pinch votes off one-another, but rounds two (3/23), four (4/26) and eight (4/18) will be where he makes his move.
AMILA RATNAIKE – NARRE WARREN
545 runs at 60.56, 2 x 100s, 4 x 50s.
Easily the best to wear the black and white colours this season for Narre Warren who had led the leading run scorer’s list for nearly the length of the summer.
In just one of his first six innings, the veteran did not pass 50, with excellent showings against finalists in Parkmore (74), Coomoora (117) and Cranbourne (51).
No batter has raised the bat for a half-century than him this summer as he closes in on a marvellous 600-run campaign.
Half-centuries in wins against St Mary’s (twice) and his 117 against Coomoora, also in a victory, will demand votes, as will his 74 in round two.
Whether his team’s poor record counts against him, however, will be a storyline to watch as the count progresses.
HARRISON CARLYON – CRANBOURNE
384 runs at 38.40, 1 x 100s, 3 x 50s. 11 wickets at 24.27.
Came with big wraps as an international from the other side of the world and has not disappointed for the Eagles in what could be a premiership season.
His exploits with the bat and the ball have been vital for Cranbourne in leading them back to premiership contention.
Carlyon top-scored on his team’s batting card on four occasions, three times in victories, and has been a consistent threat with his spinning options with the ball.
He could very well open the season with maximum votes from the first two contests, thanks to an explosive 73 and a very tidy 3/19 in the two wins.
2/5 and a century in round eight against St Mary’s are guaranteed votes, but his countrymen Julius Sumerauer may steal a vote from him after an eight-wicket performance.
RAJIKA FERNANDO – LYNDALE
174 runs at 19.33. 32 wickets at 18.00, 1 x five-wicket haul.
A late season jump in form has seen Fernando rocket into contention.
He took the lead in the leading wicket-taker’s list after round 12, having returned from the Christmas interval with a vengeance.
4/80 in a win over Cranbourne in round 11, 6/41 against Parkfield in round 12 and 3/43 against St Mary’s in round 10 will have the leaders in the count sweating when the final few rounds come to be counted.
Whether he can poll votes in a pair of losses to Coomoora, where he took four wickets on each occasion, will determine just how close he comes to rattling the count’s cage.
