THE future of cricket in North West Metropolitan Cricket Association looks bright after youngsters took out two Victorian Metropolitan Cricket Union shields recently and made the final of another.
The under-12 Josh Browne Plate team and under-14 Des Nolan Cup team both saluted in last Sunday's finals, while the NWMCA was runner-up in the under-16 Jim Beitzel Shield.
The Des Nolan Cup team proved too strong at the batting crease for Yarra Valley CA, making 3-156 off 37 overs to 6-154 off the allocated 45.
NWMCA captain Conor Martin was his team's top scorer with 49 not out, while Jake Sexton (31no) and Christopher Croswell (37no) also piled on the runs.
Anthony Cafari took 3-13 in the final and finished with 9-90 for the tournament.
Jordan Taylor was NWMCA's leading wicket taker for the tournament with 10-97, while other leading bowlers were Sexton (8-97) and Declan Knights (6-97).
Martin finished with 179 at 36 for the NWMCA team, while Croswell made 161 at 54, Sexton 153 at 31 and Kevin Spaull made 110 at 18.
The under-12 Josh Browne Plate team overpowered City of Moorabbin CA in the final by making 150 and bowling its opposition out for just 89.
Dylan Brasher (31) and Fergus O'Neill (29no) were top scorers, while Daniel Spencer was best of the bowlers with 3-17.
Brasher (115), Lachlan D'Cruz (107) and Riley McDonald (104) were top scorers for the NWMCA in the tournament.
Brasher also led the bowling with 13-91 from nine matches, with O'Neill (12-66), Henry Robertson (11-71), Spencer (10-55) and Kyle Novacek (10-60) performing strongly with the ball.
The under-16 Jim Beitzel Shield team won six straight matches to make the final but there would be no lucky seven as it lost to Ringwood & District CA - 114 all out to 3-119.
Jihad Mourad (32) was the top scorer for NWMCA in the final as his team was all out in the 41st over, while only Khizar Batti (2-19) could find multiple wickets with the ball.
Overall, Anthony Fawcus was NWMCA's top scorer with 152 at 25, while Mourad made 132 at 27. Dean Gila finished the tournament as NWMCA's top bowler with 12-138, while Batti took 10-88.
In the under-14 Russell Allen Shield, the NWMCA won one and tied one of its six completed matches and missed out on a semi-final berth.
Jared Keenan made 44 and took 2-19 in NWMCA's win by one wicket against Western Region CA.
Keenan was the only NWMCA batsman to pass 100 for the tournament, finishing with 125 at 25.
Pranav Rao finished top NWMCA bowler with 11-154.
In under-12 Keith Mitchell Shield, the NWMCA could not win in its six starts and missed out on the semi-finals.
Conor McGuire made 120 at 24 for the tournament as NWMCA's best with the bat, while Alex Oswald's 9-86 made him best with the ball.
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