Kings of the Bayside: Beaumaris U16s Complete a Brilliant Season with Grand Final Glory
- Beaumaris CC
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Kings of the Bayside: Beaumaris U16S Complete a Brilliant Season with Grand Final Glory
Beaumaris U16S finished a tremendous season in the best possible way, defeating ladder leaders Brighton in a superb Grand Final performance to claim the premiership after a year full of growth, resilience and outstanding individual and team contributions.
The Set Up
Brighton won the toss and elected to bat, but Beaumaris set the tone almost immediately through energy, pressure and fielding intensity, with Riyan taking a wicket before a run had been added to the scoreboard. Armin Gill then produced a brilliant direct-hit run out early in the innings, creating a big moment and showing that Beaumaris had arrived ready for the contest. From there, the group never let Brighton settle.
The bowling effort was disciplined and relentless. Riyan Prajapati and Sam Valoppi were awesome with the new ball, building pressure from the start and giving Beaumaris the perfect platform. Riyan was outstanding again, finishing with 1/11 from 8 overs, which showed why he was the Sharks' leading wicket taker, also claiming 14 wickets at 14.64, while
Sam’s opening spell was full of control and competitiveness and was unlucky not to have taken multiple wickets. Jack Henderson and Johnny Weldin then broke the game open, both taking 3 wickets, and Henry Dyer was excellent behind the stumps, taking a brilliant catch to dismiss a key Brighton batter and helping keep the innings in check. Magni Spencer’s fielding was exceptional all day, saving runs, lifting standards and playing a major role in restricting Brighton to 8/138 from 40 overs.
The Chase
In reply, Beaumaris had to work hard for every run. Jack Henderson played a superb innings of 39 and was deservedly named Best Player in the Grand Final, marking a terrific return after injury and standing up when the game was in the balance. Armin again contributed strongly with 24, continuing the excellent form in the finals. Henry Dyer then played a very important aggressive innings, helping shift momentum back Beaumaris’ way, and Aarav Verma showed great composure in a valuable supporting role late in the chase to help take the game deep.
The final 30 runs of the chase summed up the character of this team. Under pressure in a Grand Final against the top side, Mitchell Henderson — the player of the finals — was coolness personified. The “Ice Man” finished unbeaten on 17 from 17 balls, including the winning boundary, as he and Sam Valoppi guided Beaumaris home, with Aarav having already played his important supporting role and Magni padded up and ready for action if needed. Mitchell’s composure in the biggest moments was outstanding.
The Win
With four runs to win and two wickets remaining, Mitchell fittingly finished the game with a boundary, with Magni Spencer padded up and ready if needed. Mitchell’s season was excellent, averaging 34 with the bat and taking 6 wickets, and his impact in the finals series earned him best finals player honours.
When he cracked the winning shot for four through mid-wicket, the release was immediate.
Mitchell and Sam embraced in the middle, the boys charged out in excitement, and the crowd erupted. It was a special moment and a fitting finish for Mitchell, whose Grand Final innings followed his match-winning semi-final knock of 27 from 26 balls and capped off a terrific year with the bat.
At the finish, Mitchell Henderson was calm, composed and classy, making an unbeaten 17 from 17 balls and steering the side home, supported by Sam Valoppi.
Contributions Across the Team All Year
Across the season, Jonty Ryan led the team brilliantly as captain and capped off a remarkable year with the bat, averaging 146 during the season and scoring more than 300 runs in the home-and-away campaign. He also contributed 9 wickets with his leg spin and set the standard with his leadership, competitiveness and consistency. He is a humble kid who has a bright future. Riyan was one of the team’s premier all-rounders all year, Jack Henderson’s finals contribution was enormous, and Johnny Weldin again showed his all-round class, taking 12 wickets at 13.18, including 6 during the finals campaign, while also scoring 173 runs.
The additions of Ben Winders, Magni Spencer and Armin Gill proved brilliant for the side. All three were key players in the semi-final win, with Ben and Magni’s key spells in the semi and Armin’s innings all match-winning contributions. Armin again played an integral role in the Grand Final, highlighted by his sharp, direct-hit run out that helped set the tone for the day. Ben contributed strongly, and Magni’s brilliant fielding in the decider was a major feature of the performance. Sam Valoppi was excellent throughout the season, taking 12 wickets at 22.42 and providing real strength with the new ball. Aarav Verma’s 164 runs across the year showed his promise, while Henry Dyer’s glovework, catch and important innings in the Grand Final underlined how valuable he was to the team.
The Celebrations
Celebrations rolled on well into the night as players, families and supporters soaked in a fantastic premiership win and reflected on what had been such a special season for the group. There was a real sense of pride, joy and togetherness as everyone came together to celebrate the boys’ achievement in true Beaumaris style. A massive shout-out to Roger and Cheryl for generously hosting the celebrations and helping create such a memorable end to a brilliant year.
Brilliant Leadership (On and Off Field)
A huge credit should also go to Lachie McNamara, who did a terrific job as coach throughout the season, and to Phil Valoppi, who was a brilliant team manager, and to Jonty Ryan, who captained the side magnificently and led the commencement in batting at better than run-a-ball speed.
Club & Family Support
Just as importantly, the parents and families around the group helped create a fantastic environment all year. From ground setup to scoring, umpiring, boundary support, and building a strong culture around the team, they all played a major role in making this season so memorable.
The support from around the club was also a huge part of the day and a great reflection of what Beaumaris Cricket Club is all about. A big thank you to Lachie Fryer in his role as Club Captain, senior player Jonty Leadbetter, who also came to the boys’ final training session to share valuable Grand Final experience and insights, the Stroud clan, retiring senior player Tom Mellick, Scott MacDonald for the way he supports teams right across the club, Ian Kohler as club president, and all the family and friends who turned up and got behind the boys. The crowd atmosphere was a major contributor to the team’s success, lifting the energy, building belief and helping create a fantastic occasion that the players will remember for a long time.
There is every reason for Beaumaris Cricket Club to be excited about what lies ahead. This group has delivered a fantastic premiership season, but it also represents a very bright future for the club, with strong numbers and talent coming through the under-16s, under-14s, under-12s and rookies.
Dowling Shield Honours
The representative honours across the group also speak volumes, with Riyan the Kingston Hawks’ leading wicket taker in the Dowling Shield, and Jonty Ryan and Jack Henderson representing St Kilda, with Jonty also finishing as the Saints’ leading wicket taker. It has been a brilliant season, a deserved Grand Final win, and a strong sign that there is plenty more to come from Beaumaris.
Kings of the Bayside: Beaumaris U16S Complete a Brilliant Season with Grand Final Glory
