Barham-Koondrook co-captain Garry Lolicato has taken home the highest honour in the Swan Hill & District Cricket Association, winning the Bill Gurnett Trophy as the association’s best and fairest player at last Wednesday’s presentation night.
Lolicato polled 51 votes in a thrilling count, beating Nyah District’s Charlie Boulton (49 votes) and Woorinen’s Gurmander Singh (48 votes), with Ultima-TUF batsman Lachie Edwards nine votes behind Lolicato in fourth.
It was a well deserved victory for the 24-year-old, who has been a revelation since Barham-Koondrook entered the SHDCA at the beginning of last season, with the all-rounder scoring 304 runs at an average of 25.33, along with 30 wickets at an average of 15.70 this season.
“I suppose I’ve had a pretty good year,” Lolicato told The Guardian on Wednesday night. “We came into this season with a really young team and at times we’ve perhaps underperformed a little bit, so I sort of tried to carry a bit of the weight on my shoulders early in the season.
“I’ve really enjoyed it and it’s good cricket in this league. The bowling is steady and the batting is pretty good throughout the league, but for me it’s really about putting an innings together.
“I’ve grown a lot in this league in terms of working into my innings and trusting that process. You have to play straighter because everyone sort of nibbles it around.
“I generally feel more comfortable facing someone like ‘Moorey’ (Wandella’s Peter Moore) who is quicker and just doesn’t do as much with the ball, whereas a lot of the Swan Hill players tend to nibble it around and you can’t really flick it and use your hands as much.
“Bowling has always been my strength anyway and I feel a bit more comfortable with the ball in hand, especially being able to roll through more than eight overs with the red ball cricket that we play over here.”
It was Lolicato’s form post Christmas that saw him finish on top of the leaderboard on Wednesday evening, with the all-rounder taking 17 wickets with the red ball, including three in last Saturday’s semi-final win over Wandella, to stamp his authority on the competition.
But while the newest Bill Gurnett Trophy winner has dominated with the ball all season, it was his move to the top of the batting order which has changed the fortunes of his team.
After spending the bulk of the season batting in the middle order, Lolicato moved up to open against Woorinen in round 14, with the move providing his team with some stability at the top of the order.
“I have always been an opener back when I played here before going to Geelong,” Lolicato said.
“I think it (the move) has helped our team, but it’s also helped Warren (Lolicato) a lot too. He’s our premier batsman and me moving to the top of the order has helped him settle into his innings a bit more.
“I think we only had two opening partnerships above 10 before I moved to open, plus I prefer pace on the ball as well, so it’s helped me with my batting too.”
Although his win on Wednesday night was well received, it isn’t the only victory that Lolicato will be hoping for this week, with the all-rounder hoping to lead the Raiders to victory in tomorrow’s grand final against Nyah District – his first at senior level.
Despite falling short in their two games against the Demons this season, Lolicato was confident of turning the tables in the decider, with the Raiders in season-best form following last Saturday’s strong win over rivals Wandella.
“I think as a team we’re probably playing our best cricket. We’re very young and everyone’s pulling their weight and the feeling around the club has been really good,” Lolicato said.
“Everyone’s excited and I feel like it’s probably our game to take from Nyah (District) essentially, we’re not coming in as the favourite and that’s good for us.
“Hopefully we get a few people over there to support us and the energy will be high, it’s all pretty exciting.
“It’s my first senior grand final too, when I left Barham to go to Geelong they made the grand final that year, and then when I left Geelong, they made the grand final.
“I’m pretty excited and just keen to get into it really.”
Although narrowly missing out on winning the SHDCA’s best and fairest, Charlie Boulton and Gurmander Singh didn’t go home empty handed, with Boulton winning the SHDCA batting aggregate award for most runs, along with the Under 21 player of the year award, while Singh took home the Murray Downs Medal.
St.Mary’s-Tyntynder opening bowler Robin Sebastian won the SHDCA bowling aggregate award after taking 34 wickets.
