WITH the Victorian Men’s Premier Cricket competition wrapped after an entertaining 2021/22 campaign, it’s time to reflect on the season that was. Each side had a different journey over the last few months, so we take a look at how each side fared over the past six months.

Season 2021/22 saw Frankston Peninsula finish slightly further down the standings than they would have liked. Five wins from 15 outings saw them finish in 15th, and while they were a step above the bottom three in terms of performance, it was not good enough to see them contend for a spot in the finals. There is plenty to improve on heading into their 2022/23 campaign, but there was still a bit to like throughout the past season.

Peninsula started off with a loss to Northcote in Round 2, but made amends the following week by taking down the Fitzroy Doncaster Lions with a terrific performance. Unfortunately, it was their last win for a while as they went on a bit of a losing streak from here, unable to produce winning performances with both bat and ball. The streak was broken when they managed to record consecutive wins and get themselves on a bit of a roll, particularly at the crease. However, inconsistency ended up thwarting their chances of making the finals, as they fell three wins short of qualifying for finals.

Best Win

Melbourne University was looking like a genuine contender for the flag a few rounds into the season, having placed themselves in the top four. On the other hand, Frankston Peninsula were coming into their matchup on a bit of a losing streak and not expected to perform well. However, the one of the beauties of sport is the ability to cause an upset, and that is exactly what they did. They rallied behind a terrific batting performance from their middle order, and chased down the required total with five overs in hand.

MVP

Despite a couple of strong performers on the batting front, the Most Valuable Player in Frankston Peninsula’s 2021/22 season was all-rounder James Nanopoulos, who was a constant threat in his 15 outings. While he stood up on a number of ocassions at the crease, it was his work with ball in hand that made him stand out. The veteran was outstanding, taking a team-high 22 wickets, with season-best figures of 4/22.

Next Season

While there are a few areas to address coming into next season, their biggest will be focussed on the top end of their batting order. Too many times, Frankston Peninsula found itself on the back foot due to a batting collapse. Whether it is working with their current openers to amend these mistakes, or bringing in some new blood to try and make a change, getting the problem resolved will certainly hold the side in good stead moving forward.