Representative stars standing tall, leaders taking control, and youngsters showing their class. They're all here (in no particular order) in our top 10 performances of the RSL-Whitney Cup season.
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The best captain's performance of the season. And there was plenty this season. Hill put Rugby on is back in the early stages of the summer, delivering in a big way with both bat and ball. But no showing was better than his 103 in the second round. Taking on a powerful RSL-Colts side, Hill made a determined and grafting century to secure his side's first win of the summer.
Hill batted almost the entire 75 overs while only three other players in the Rugby lineup made double figures. The knock was proof the always-consistent Hill had taken his game to a new level.
There's a chance Steve Skinner would be on this least no matter what season it was in the past decade or so. Someone so often stranding up for Newtown, he might not have quite hit the heights of previous campaigns this season but still produced standout performances.
He might have been part of a losing side against Macquarie in round two but he did all he could against a Dan Medway-inspired Blues. While Medway pummelled the bowlers Skinner stemmed the flow from one end and picked up the key wickets of Jason Green and Ben Strachan on the way to taking 5/47 from 19 overs. That's less than two-and-a-half runs an over when Macquarie amassed more than 260.
One of the best knocks of the season made even better when you consider the circumstances. Coady has long been one of Dubbo's most exciting young players but a century had evaded the keeper-batsman.
Newtown's total of 138 might not have seemed much but with top spot on the line there was pressure on CYMS. Plus, coming into the second day of play, Coady had barely moved off the lounge for a number of days due to illness. But he toughed it out against the likes of Mat and Steve Skinner, Trent Smith, and Lee Price before lifting the run rate. He admittedly got some selfless support from partner Gilbert Chaseling late on but he still had what it took to reach triple figures and secure victory for CYMS.
The knock of 85 might not have been one of the highest of the season but the circumstances and brutality of this knock saw it earn a spot. Wells led a young Souths side this season and while the Hornets finished with the wooden spoon there was still some real bright moments.
Few were brighter than the win over Colts in round three. After just one win last summer and then two losses to start 2019/20 the Hornets seemed on track for more pain when they were reduced to 4/35 early on. But Wells came to the crease and soon set about dismantling a handy Colts attack. His knock of 85 came from 75 balls and contained three fours and five sixes. More importantly, it set-up a much-needed and confidence-boosting Souths victory.
If the previous knock from Wells was destructive, then we need more adjectives to describe Medway's.
Regularly one of the best batsman in Dubbo, Medway made the highest score of the season in just the second round. He attacked and he attacked hard, dominating his side's innings against Newtown. He belted 136 in little time at all and when he departed the team was on just 189. Only one other player in the Blues side reached 20 on the day.
Wickets came regularly for 'Buzz' but his start to the season was the best run of any bowler this season. he started the summer with a bang, destroying Rugby to immediately solidify CYMS' status as a genuine contender.
The first day of the season brought about a bit of a wet deck but, as is always the case, you've got to make the most of it and Edmunds certainly did. He finished with 6/35 from 16 overs as Rugby was knocked over for 143. He picked up key men like Ben Wheeler, Nathan Munro, and Aidan Bennewith before also ripping through the tail.
As he has so many times in the past, Jason Ryan belted RSL-Colts out of trouble in round 13. Colts went into the match against a battling Souths in fourth spot and needing a win to remain in the race for a top three finish.
At 5/73 things could have gone either way but attack proved the best form of defence for Ryan. He smashed 101 from 79 balls, hitting 12 fours and two sixes along the way. It fired Colts to an imposing total of 9/245 and a deflated Souths was rolled for just 62 in reply as the men in red rocketed towards the top of the ladder.
Again, this knock might not seem much on paper. And it wasn't even enough to secure a win for Macquarie in round 13. But it was still one of the more tough and determined knocks of the season. Play had been in doubt for much of the lead-up due to rain but it went ahead on a wet No. 2 deck and the Blues were sent into bat.
Medway opened, as always, and was patient early on while still punishing anything loose. Wickets tumbled around him and while he gave one or two chances it was still a vital knock. He unfortunately ran himself out just when it seemed a second century of the season could be on the cards as Macquarie was kept to 8/137.
Yes, Cox made a century in round six to really launch RSL-Colts' season after a slow start, but his knock in round 14 was vital for his side.
Colts went into the penultimate round of the season with still everything to play for. They were in third but only four points ahead of Newtown while also sitting just six points off top spot. They played ladder-leading Macquarie and Cox set-up a dominant win. After a quick start Colts fell to 3/66 but Cox, through his regular way of patience and style, got things ticking over and put his side in complete control. He fell just short of a century but Colts' Cox-inspired total of 226 was good enough to get the win.
Another captain's performance. With the battle for the top four and also the minor premiership so close, CYMS went into round 14 only two points off top spot but just eight points ahead of fourth. That fourth-placed side was Knaggs' opponent in round 14, Newtown so the pressure was on.
With regular opening bowler Ben O'Donnell away, Knaggs took the new ball himself and bowled a staggering 24 overs straight. He was near unplayable at times and as well as collecting five wickets he went at less than two runs an over during his mammoth spell. It was a performance which set up a win, and ultimately, the minor premiership and RSL-Whitney Cup title.