By Tanya Faulkner
A local sportsman has struck again being recognised in one of Australia’s top cricketing teams.
Ferntree Gully local Nathan Walsh, who plays for Lysterfield Cricket Club (LCC), has been named in the Victoria Country Cricket Club Men’s Team of the Year for 2023.
The batsman is not unfamiliar with this recognition, with this year marking his fourth time being named in the team, amongst several other awards in his career.
LCC secretary Anthony Gwynne said Mr Walsh has been fantastic for the club, guiding the club to a number of premiership wins.
Mr Walsh has had a long-standing career in cricket with the Lysterfield Club, starting his career at the youthful age of nine years old with the club.
By the age of 14 he moved up to senior cricket with Lysterfield, before taking the next step to district level cricket, playing a handful of seasons at Ringwood Cricket Club, and in Fitzroy and Doncaster for a couple of seasons.
He played 100 first 11 games with Ringwood, and also managed to help the club win a premiership before making his return back to Lysterfield in 2016, to spend more time with his family and give back some time to his home club.
Despite bouncing back up to district cricket for a couple of years in between, Mr Walsh has called Lysterfield Cricket Club home since 2019.
Mr Walsh said it’s been really good to be playing back at his local club.
“So many of the volunteers at LCC are the same as when I first started senior cricket, and it gives me a special connection with the place.
“One of the factors in my performances being really consistent has been my love playing for the club in all situations.
“I give everything I can and really enjoy playing there,” he said.
His recognition in the VCCL Team of the Year came somewhat as a surprise for the cricketer, after a bit of a rough season for 2023.
“It wasn’t my best season this year and some of my stats weren’t as bright as some of the others that were named, but it’s a privilege to have been recognised in the team again,” he said.
As it currently stands, despite the clubs being quite urban, Ferntree Gully is zoned in the ‘country’ region for cricket, which allows clubs like Lysterfield to be considered for the VCCL teams.
Mr Walsh said a lot of thought goes into the selection of these teams.
“From all of the regions, the teams are picked based on statistics for Country Cricket Victoria to pick a top team from all regions and form a team of the year, as acknowledgement for those players in the area,” he said.
Alongside being named in the VCCL Top Team, Mr Walsh has also been the recipient of the Don Bradman batting award for 2023, marking his second time receiving the award since 2016.
Mr Walsh said Lysterfield has been widely regarded as a really successful club, particularly with their top team having won seven grand finals in a row at one stage, which he puts down to his teammates and the club.
“While being a bit of an individual sport, having a good team around you helps the good players to excel and have a lot of support from those around them.
“It also helps to develop upcoming players into their fullest potential,” he said.
Mr Walsh has plans to continue playing for Lysterfield Cricket Club for “as long as he can hold a bat” and extend his career with the local club.
