Scotch College

Dean named in Australian U17 Eleven

Last year Dean Scheetz (bowling above) left his hometown of Wodonga to become a McMeckan House boarder in Year 10 at Scotch College. At fifteen, he instantly became a member of the Scotch First Eleven as its opening fast bowler for the second half of the Associated Public Schools’ 2003–04 season. His fine performances saw Dean selected in the Under 17 side to represent Victoria in the Australian Cricket Championships held in Hobart from 3 to 15 January this year. With Championship figures of 10/184 off 76 overs Dean was named in the Australian Under 17 Eleven.

Dean began his cricketing career as an eight-year-old playing in the Under 10 local competition in Wodonga and represented the North East in Under 14 and 16 regional competitions. This season Dean has played District cricket as strike bowler with Melbourne Seconds on weekends when there have been no school matches.

Dean’s 2004–05 season with Scotch College has seen him stamp his authority over opposing batsmen with a highly-economical 179.3 overs for 65 maidens, and 27 wickets for 337 runs. His season’s best so far is 6/35 against Mebourne Grammar School in the final APS match. With a scalp every 12.48 runs, being generous to batsmen is not one of Dean’s preoccupations! Dean’s season saw him with a batting average of 22, three catches and one run out.

At 188 cm, this well-built, quietly spoken sixteen-year-old is popular with his peers and respected by his opponents. During the cricket off-season, Dean plays at centre half-back or centre half-forward in the Scotch First Eighteen. His football achievements have run parallel to his cricket – playing under-age and in 2003 representing the Ovens and Murray League in the Under 17s.

Cricket is Dean’s first love, and some day in the near future we may well look back to when he made his first Australian Test team.

NEVILLE TAYLOR

Stars with the Bat and Ball

Julian Hall-Baigent of Year 11, took the Carey Second XI bowlers to task on 19 February. With consideration for cars and windows, Julian limited his heavy scoring to fours – compiling a very impressive 107 runs before conceding his wicket by being caught.

A week later, in a two-over spell in an 8B1 match, a ‘purple patch’ from Peter Hodges decimated St Kevin’s. Not satisfied to take five wickets for five runs, Peter managed to slip in an ever-elusive hat trick. It just shows the lengths some players go to in order to gain promotion to the 8As!

NEVILLE TAYLOR