Sport
20 March, 2026
Loddon Herald's cricket team of the season
THE UPPER Loddon Cricket Association player of the year, Kingower’s Matt Rowe, is the skipper, opening bat and opening bowler in the Loddon Herald’s team of the year.
Rowe topped the batting aggregate for the 2025-26 season with 360 runs and also took 16 wickets at less than 17 runs apiece opening the bowling for the Gower.
He was ill during the week leading up to the grand final and was only able to bowl three of his maximum eight overs after hitting his side’s top score.
Who knows if the result would have been different if Rowe had been fully fit.
He shares the opening bat role with teammate Kyle Simpson, who also had a fine all-round season, hitting 317 top-order runs and taking 19 wickets at 15.26.
At three is Boort Yando’s Joshua Smith, who averaged 79.25 with the willow.
After him comes Bridgewater’s Tom McKinley, who averaged almost 34 in making 301 runs for the season.
Wedderburn’s explosive Andrew Brett is next in, and he is also the wicketkeeper for the side.
The traditional all-rounder spot at number six is Boort Yando’s Alex Cockerell, after averaging 38.43 with the bat and 12 with the ball.
Arnold’s Ryan Metelmann is in at seven after taking 10 wickets at 17.7 each and averaging 26.71 runs at the crease. Wedderburn veteran Steve Giorlando was a revelation after being elevated to opening the batting after Christmas, shoring up what had been a brittle Band top order.
It’s a luxury to have him come in at eight, but his quality spinning – nine wickets at 13.11 – added to averaging a shade below 30 with the bat makes him an automatic selection.
Ben Rose is next, the Kingower veteran putting together another fine season in taking 20 wickets at an average of 14.05 and averaging 35 as a late-order batsman.
Matt Hodoras of Boort Yando took 13 wickets at 9.38 and also offered some big hitting, with a season high of 61.
At 11 is the association’s bowler of the year, Arnold’s Michael Dale, who took 18 wickets at 11.67.
THE TOP 11
Matt Rowe (Kingower)
Kyle Simpson (Kingower)
Joshua Smith (Boort Yando)
Tom McKinley (Bridgewater)
Andrew Brett (Wedderburn)
Alex Cockerell (Boort Yando)
Ryan Metelmann (Arnold)
Steve Giorlando (Wedderburn)
Ben Rose (Kingower)
Matt Hodoras (Boort Yando)
Michael Dale (Arnold