Tara Murray
Rivergum all rounder Jarrod Bannister produced one of his most consistent seasons to be named the North Metro Cricket Association’s top player, but it almost never happened.
Bannister hurt his shoulder while doing a gym session a week out from the season kicking off.
With surgeries delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and it not being his bowling arm, he played the entirety of the Jika Shield season helping his team make the grand final.
The shoulder injury didn’t affect his form, with Bannister winning the Bill McPharlane Medal as the best player in the Jika Shield.
He finished on 18 votes, five clear of second.
Bannister said he was surprised to have claimed the award.
“I thought I had a chance, but I’d never won an award like that before,” he said.
“I had to go along and get the bowling award and I got a couple of votes and won the medal.
“I was a bit embarrassed as I didn’t want to make a speech.”
Bannister took 27 wickets this season, the equal most in the competition, and made the fifth most runs.
Kookas captain Matt Perri, himself a two-time McPharlane Medal winner, said back in February that he thought his teammate would go close to winning it.
Bannister said what made the medal win more special was having so many of his teammates at the awards night to celebrate it with him.
“It’s very rare to have a lot of teammates in the room. We had a couple of tables for some reason and they’re my best mates.
“I’ve been friends with those guys for 20 years and we’ve played cricket together since we were 14-years-old and are still playing now.
“It’s huge to play with them every week.”
Bannister thought he had a pretty consistent season, with the one-day format suiting his game as an all-rounder.
The medal win is the biggest in any sport for Bannister.
For much of his life, cricket had been his number two sport, with football taking the priority.
It’s only in recent times cricket has become the focus.
“I’ve kind of put the hand brake on football as I’ve gotten a bit older,” he said.
While Bannister said it was nice to be recognised personally, he said he would trade it for something much more special.
“I would have traded that for a premiership medal every day of the week.”
Rivergum was awarded the H P Zwar Memorial Trophy as the champion club.
