By Elliot Stevenson
The 2024-25 Men’s Cricket Tasmania Premier League season was one marked by destructive bowling performances, batting wizardry, and the triple-premiership dominance of the University of Tasmania Cricket Club.
35 centuries were scored throughout the year, as well as a single double century from University’s Tim Ward in the 2-Day Grand Final against Kingborough.
The bowlers weren’t outshone however, with 40 five-wicket hauls taken by a number of pacemen and spinners across the state.
Param Uppal was the leading run scorer with 990 runs at an average of 49.50, as well as leading the wickets tally with 51 at an average of 13.31, taking out the competition’s highest individual honour, the Emerson Rodwell Medal.
Led by captain Uppal and first year coach Ben Hilfenhaus, University defeated local rivals South Hobart-Sandy Bay in the T20 Grand Final to win their first silverware of the season.
The Lions then rather fortunately progressed to the Kookaburra Cup Final after inclement weather forced Kingborough to miss out due to ladder position.
They faced New Town, who advanced in corresponding fashion, and put on a batting clinic.
Chasing down 222, Uppal [99 not out off 118] and the exciting Tom Chapman [108 not out off 133 balls] belted Uni to a 9-wicket win at Ninja Stadium.
The 2-Day competition remained close up until the final weekend of the home-and-away season, but it was Kingborough, University, Greater Northern, and New Town who qualified.
Kingborough managed to outlast New Town at the Twin Ovals in a semi-final, surviving the last ball of the second day with just one wicket to spare.
The draw meant the Knights would face their old rivals from up the highway, with Uni having dismantled the Raiders off the back of a Tim Ward 150 not out.
Ward continued his form in the big dance, making an unmatched 233 not out off 314 balls and catapulting his side to a convincing third premiership of the season, a treble.
It was a disappointing result for Kingborough, who had largely dominated throughout the season, but were unable to make it count at the business end.
The Knights won 16 out of a possible 18 games, taking the most wickets (194) of any team while losing the least (146).
Greater Northern, New Town, Clarence, and North Hobart provided persistent threats to the two top teams, while Lindisfarne, South Hobart-Sandy Bay, and Glenorchy struggled to maintain consistency in performances.
The Women’s CTPL season provided similar thrills, with 11 centuries and 6 five-wicket hauls highlighting what proved to be a fantastic year for the competition as a whole.
New Town won the T20 competition with a home win over the powerful Greater Northern Raiders before Christmas.
The Bucks put on 6-160 before a disciplined team bowling performance ensured their opponents would fall 41 runs short of victory.
December also saw a young Clarence team secure their first triumph of the season, defeating North Hobart in Round 11 to spur a four-game winning streak across both formats.
The Roos had a tumultuous season, but a positive finish provided much promise for the future.
Greater Northern, on the back of young skipper Ava Curtis and wicket-keeping superstar Emma Manix-Geeves, had a dominant season, but were unable to capitalise in either grand final.
Manix-Geeves, who won the annual Kim Fazackerley Medal for the best player in the competition, made 843 runs at an average of 93.67, 234 runs clear of her teammate Curtis in second.
However, it was North Hobart who saluted in the decider as Melodie Armstrong (48 off 78 balls), Naomi Stalenberg (50 off 53 balls), and Molly Strano (45 off 55 balls) helped the Demons to 8-248.
Teenage sensation Mia Barwick took 5/41 off 9 overs to wrap up the premiership for Stef Daffara’s team.
It was North Hobart’s second premiership in as many years, having won the T20 crown in 2023-24.