Noble Park’s Janaka Liyanabadalge claimed the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association Val Holten Medal as the competition’s best player on Wednesday night.
After not being in the top 12 after eight rounds, Liyanabadalge polled votes in all but one game for the rest of the season to finish on 20 votes.
He was level on votes with Hoppers Crossing captain-coach Simon Lambert heading into the final round.
Liyanabadalge polled three votes in the final round, while Lambert didn’t poll in the final two rounds.
Lambert finished in second with 17 votes and Caulfield’s Daniel Forbes was third, a further vote back.
Altona’s Adam Yates finished in fourth spot, while Yarraville’s Aiden Salvado, Plenty Valley’s Henry Cullen and Spotswood premiership coach Dan Schuppan all finished in the top 12.
Cullen had led the count after eight rounds.
Salvado, who starred at the top of the order for Yarraville, was named the Anthony Gale Medal winner, as the best player aged under-21.
He made 653 rounds at an average of 65.3 with a highest score of 104.
Melton’s Ben MacRae, who was one of the favourites for the Holten Medal entering the night, was named captain of the team of the year.
Joining him in the team were Caulfield’s David Tantsis-Hall, Salvado, Lambert, Cullen, Aaron Shellie, Liyanabadalge, St Bernard’s Nishal Perera, Brighton’s Peter Cassidy, Schuppan, Kew’s Will Sist and Strathmore’s Gayan Sirisoma.
Among the others winners on the night, Melton’s Gurpartap Singh shared the fourth XI division 2 Daryl Thiele Medal, Melton’s Matthew Stead won the Geoff Hart Medal for the third XI division 2 best player and Werribee’s Fayzan Abdul Sathaar shared the Bill Tucknott Medal for the third XI division 1 best player.
Meanwhile, Werribee’s Kirk Norton has been inducted into the hall of fame. Norton played a club record 386 first XI games for the Tigers, and played 409 games overall.
He was also a former president and given more than 50 years of service to the club.
