Normally we would have had a wonderful get together for presentation night but this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic presentation night was held over a week on facebook. For those who did not see that event happen or just wish to look back on “who won what”, this is a recap of the awards from season 2019/20.
BOB CAMPBELL AWARD – BEST YOUNG PLAYER AT THE CLUB.
First the award named in honour of Bob Campbell. Bob was the Dowling Shield manager at South Melbourne for 28 years, giving up his Christmas holidays each year to help prepare and select the Dowling Shield teams.
Thankyou Bob for being a great part of our great club
WINNER- Ash Chandrasinghe
OSSIE WRIGHT SHIELD – THE MOST IMPROVED PLAYER AT THE CLUB.
Next up the award, named in honour of Ossie Wright.
The Ossie Wright Award pays tribute to a fine player at our club and also one of the club’s best characters and clubmen. Ossie started playing cricket at Sth Melb. in the early 1980’s and last played in the mid 2000’s captaining the lower XI’s. Amazingly, Ozzie played until he was 50 years old!
WINNER- Aaron Fernando
SPECIAL AWARD LAURIE STEVENS
A special moment happened during the last round of the season as the great man Laurie Stevens sat down to score his 300th game for the club! All of those with the seconds! You are a great clubman Laurie.
4TH XI BATTING & BOWLING
Batting.
It’s with great pleasure we announce the winner.
198 runs @ 28.29, highest score of 68 in round 8 v Frankston.
Congrats Chris Diston.
Bowling.
With season stats of 97 overs, 22 wickets @ 11.41.
Huge congratulations to Maheesha Gamage
3RD XI BATTING & BOWLING
Batting.
Winning the 3rds batting with 248 runs @ 27.56.
Congratulations to Sachin Halangode.
Bowling.
Taking out the 3rds bowling trophy.
8 matches in the 3rds, 73.5 overs, 11 wickets at 17.64.
The winner is Julian Packer
SIMON DUCKWORTH AWARD – BEST CLUB PERSON
Taking out this award is the amazing Michelle Benedek.
Congratulations to Michelle and thank-you for all you do around the club. Also thank-you to all the many volunteers who put in great efforts to keep the club running.
2ND XI BATTING & BOWLING
Batting.
The winner of the 2nds batting award.
With 388 runs in a weather affected season, a top score of 93 and an amazing average of 64.67 the winner is Chris Benedek.
Bowling.
The 2nds bowling trophy.
With season figures of 151.5 overs, 22 wickets at an average of 29.36.
Congratulations to our skipper Brayden Lambden. Great season Brayden, tremendous effort
Top batting and bowling performances and games played milestones.
A gallery of milestone games, centuries and top bowling performances throughout the season….
MV Gamage 4th XI v Frankston Peninsula R8 11.3/ 4/ 6/ 11 
J Packer 3rd XI v Frankston Peninsula R8 23/ 7/ 6/ 51 
Luke W Wells 1st XI 290 v Greenvale Kangaroos R13 275 Balls, 33 x 4’s, 14 x 6’s 
Luke W Wells 1st XI 159 v Frankston Peninsula R9 250 Balls 16 x 4’s 
Luke W Wells 1st XI 115 no v Fitzroy Doncastor R6 130 Balls 4 x 4’s, 8 x 6’s 
Jordan N Wyatt 1st XI 107 v Ringwood R16 80 Ball, 10 x 4’s, 6 x 6’s 
Ashley Chandrasinghe 1st XI 144 v Northcote R12 296 Balls, 15 x 4’s, 1 x 6 
Aaron G Fernando 2nd XI 131 v Melbourne University R15 231 Balls, 20 x 4’s 
50 Games Blair Clymo 
50 Games Maheesha Gamage 
50 Games Brayden Lambden 
50 Games Jayden Scotland 
150 Games Christopher Benedek 
150 Games Adam Hanger 
200 Games Dylan Hadfield
MAX REEVES SHIELD
Max was a 1st XI Premiership player in 1952-53 and played over 100 1st XI matches, later a long serving committeeman, Secretary, Team Manager, Chairman of Selectors and served the club for more than 50 years. A fantastic servant of the club.
WINNER- Dead Heat, Aaron Fernando & Luke Wells.
1ST XI – BATTING (ROY HOWARD AWARD)
Roy played 197 games for South Melbourne 1st XI. Roy’s played 29 first class games for Victoria scoring 1564 runs at an average of 37.23 and a highest score of 141. Roy was the Club record holder for the most
runs in a season with 835 runs in 1952/53
Winner, with another extraordinary season with the bat.
773 runs @ 70.3. Luke Wells.
1st XI BOWLING (LEIGH BAKER AWARD)
Leigh, affectionately known as “Pencil” is the club games record holder with 319 games. An extremely economical and effective leg spin bowler and handy lower order batsman, Leigh represented Victoria in 5 games in his career. He is the Club’s highest wicket taker with 443 wickets over his South Melbourne career.
Winning the 1sts bowling award with , 16 wickets @ 30.1 from 127 overs its.
Congratulations to Josh Dowling
JIM MEEHAN BEST 1ST XI PLAYER
The Final award for the evening is the Jim Meehan Shield for the best 1st XI player. For those who don’t know, following his playing career which went as far as Captaining the 2nd XI, Jim became one of the most respected administrators the club has produced serving as President of the club, as the club Delegate to the VCA for more than 20 years as well as a Board member of the VCA which included several years as a Vice-President of the VCA.
WINNER- Luke Wells
Thank you to all the players for your efforts during the season and, just as much, thank you to all the committee, coaches, volunteers and parents who all do their bit to keep the wheels turning. See you all again for season 2020/21.
