WITH the cricket season now all done and dusted it's the perfect time to look back and acknowledge some of the standout performers we've seen in Dubbo this season.
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This season's Whitney Cup was a much more even competition, making the job of picking a team of the season a difficult one.
There were some brilliant individual performances this season with 15 centuries scored by 12 batsmen while 10 bowlers combined for 14 five-wicket hauls. Most of those who starred were obvious selections for this team while other spots required much more deliberation and only four members of last season's team made the cut this time around. Much like last season, I have not mentioned many statistics in order to protect end-of-season award winners.
1. WAYNE DUNLOP (Newtown)
Wayne Dunlop has again been a mark of consistency at the top of the order for Newtown.
While Skinner brothers Mat and Steve claimed much of the plaudits for the Tigers, there is no denying the importance of Dunlop's role in the team. The nuggetty opening batsmen took on a more aggressive role this season and time and time again punished any bowler who strayed from a disciplined line and length.
One of the top five leading run-scorers in 2014-15, Dunlop scored more than 500 runs at an average of more than 40. While 103 was his top score, a real highlight was when he pummelled Rugby and hit 13 boundaries and just two singles in a whirlwind innings of 54 not out.
2. PAUL HULTHEN (RSL-Colts)
The 2014-15 season was a breakout one for Colts opening batsman Hulthen. After always showing plenty of promise in recent seasons, Hulthen's class shone through this year as he piled on the runs on a regular basis.
Arguably one of the best drivers of a ball in Dubbo, Hulthen's play through the off-side was a real hallmark of his success. He scored two centuries during the season with a top score of 148.
The only player who averaged more than 50 in this season's Whitney Cup, Hulthen was the best batsman in a competition stacked with talent.
3. ASHER ROBINS (South Dubbo)
Most often found at the top of the order, dashing left-hander Robins fits into this side at first drop. Always prolific through the point region, one of the big improvements in Robins' game this season was his ability to really take the bowlers on. A much more aggressive side to his stroke play was evident in the two innings this season where he scored centuries, with his 107 against CYMS within 25 overs one of the most brutal knocks of the season.
4. GREG BUCKLEY (RSL-Colts)
After arriving a few rounds into the season, RSL-Colts' English all-rounder Buckley certainly made his presence felt immediately. No one else in the top 15 run-scorers in this season's Whitney Cup batted less innings than Buckley, one of the cleanest strikers of a ball in the competition, and he finished the season averaging over 40 with a top score of 98.
His bowling was also a big part of Colts' premiership success. An off-spinner his economy rate of just 2.17 is incredible and his 26 wickets at 10.38 sees him comfortably in the top five leading wicket-takers this season.
5. JORDAN MORAN (Rugby, wk)
The fact a season in which Jordan Moran scores more than 500 runs at an average of over 60 goes by as a summer which fails to truly capture people's attention shows how much the cricketing community has come to expect from the talented keeper-batsman.
He single-handedly dug his misfiring Rugby side out of trouble on more than one occasion and his match-winning 149 against Macquarie in the final round of the season got his team into the finals. A fine gloveman, Moran would be the keeper for this side for the second season in a row. While his team may not have gone as far as he would have liked this season, Jordan Moran can still be very proud of his individual efforts.
6. MAT SKINNER (c) (Newtown)
The most simple and obvious selection in this team. In my opinion, the standout cricketer in the Whitney Cup this season. After years as one of the best all-rounders in Dubbo Skinner's game went to another level this season. He scored more than 500 runs and took easily more than 30 wickets in one of the best all-round seasons in recent times. His batting may have dropped off a little as the season went on but his bowling just got better and better and he finished the season with four five-wicket hauls. A stellar debut campaign as captain, culminating in Newtown's first grand final appearance in more than a decade, also sees Skinner get the nod as captain of this team.
7. NATHAN MUNRO (Rugby)
May shock a few people to see Munro make the team but the consistent veteran scored more than 400 runs this season at an average just a tick under 30. A man who can sum up any situation well he's held many Rugby innings together from his place in the middle order. Munro's highlight came earlier in the season when he pummelled the RSL-Colts attack and scored 124. An experienced campaigner, Munro is a handy addition to any side in the middle or lower order.
8. STEVE SKINNER (Newtown)
One of the top three wicket-takers in this season's Whitney Cup and also finished inside the top 10 leading run-scorers. Season 2014-15 was a successful one for the off-spinning all-rounder. Number eight may be a lot lower than he is used to batting and in any other team he would be a lot higher but the sheer amount of batting talent in this team means Skinner would likely be used more as a bowler. Much like Greg Buckley, Skinner finished the season with an outstanding economy rate of just 3.02 while his bowling average was 16.89. The highlight with the bat came earlier in the season when he made 136. With the ball, the fact he took more than 30 wickets without claiming one five wicket shows how much of a consistent wicket-taker he was.
9. BEN TAYLOR (Rugby)
The third and final Rugby player to make the team, Taylor was a huge presence with the ball for the second half of the season especially. In terms of seam bowlers, only Mat Skinner and Tim Cox took more wickets than Taylor this season and his 5-68 from 22 overs in a losing side against Colts was one of his best performances. He may have been disappointed with his efforts with the bat this season but Taylor again proved in 2014-15 that there are few quicks in Dubbo better. His nagging line and length was something Rugby could always rely on.
10. TIM COX (RSL-Colts)
If there was one player at the start of the season who was a safe bet of making this team it would be Tim Cox. After having such a hugely successful representative season, capped off with a place in the Australian Country side, Cox's efforts in the Whitney Cup were somewhat overlooked. His 8-39 against Rugby earlier in the season is arguably the bowling performance of the season while his economy rate was again brilliant, at just 2.16. While he was again one of the leading wicket-takers in the competition his unde rrated batting also came in more than handy after making 60 not out in a final-round win over Newtown while he also scored an invaluable 68 in the grand final. Another in a long list of hugely successful seasons for the veteran seamer.
11. ANGUS CUSACK (Macquarie)
Probably the biggest shock in the team and one a lot of people may disagree with but with so much batting power and only three front line quicks in Cox, Taylor and Mat Skinner there was place for another bowler. And, in my opinion, Cusack is totally worthy of this spot. A young man taking part in his first full season of Whitney Cup as a frontline quick, Cusack passed that challenge with flying colours and finished the season with just one less wicket than Taylor and a bowling average of 20. With Macquarie lacking real bite in their bowling attack Cusack had a huge workload and was a big part of the Blues having a season as good as they did.
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While those 11 made the team there are a number who just missed out and are more than worthy of a mention for their efforts during 2014-15.
CYMS' STUART NADEN would be 12th man for this team and is the most unlucky not to get a spot in the final 11. The Englishman had an impressive all-round season for the wooden spooners with more than 400 runs at an average of 26 and 19 wickets with one five wicket haul. JASON RYAN was also a contender for a middle order spot but despite playing two of the most important innings of the season for Colts late in the season, they were the only times his supreme talents were really on show.
NATHAN JONES from Colts and Souths' TIM BERRY were among the leading wicket-takers this season but just missed out while Macquarie duo KEIRAN BRIEN and ED HAYLOCK also had standout seasons with the bat for Macquarie and were unlucky not to make the team.