Haisman Shield’s top performers proving their influence in tight premiership race
With seven rounds and a grand final in the books, which top-grade Cricket Shepparton stars have stood out among the pack?
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The Haisman Shield has punched out for 2025, which provides the perfect opportunity to analyse some of the competition’s most influential figures as we turn for home.
Kyabram finished the year with some one-day silverware on the line and are currently the Shield’s in-form team.
That’s been in part due to the form with the bat of Kyle Mueller and Paul Parsons, but predominantly thanks to a highly vaunted bowling attack that has conceded, far and away, the least amount of runs in the competition.
Redback quicks Jackson McLay and Sam Langley have been primarily responsible for that, but the top seamer currently? That honour arguably belongs to Central Park-St Brendan’s stalwart Ramadan Yze, who has snared the most wickets of the season to date.
He’s joined on this list by two other Tigers talismans in Tyler Larkin and Connor Hayes, while Karramomus’ rise up the ladder has been spearheaded by young quick Lachie Keady.
All-rounders are a valuable commodity, as evidenced by the inclusion of Nagambie’s Mitch Winter-Irving and Mooroopna’s Cyrus Shafi.
So, with a range of factors in mind, what has made these 10 cricketers so effective for their clubs?
Ramadan Yze (CPStB)
The Haisman Shield’s leading wicket-taker is once again fuelling Central Park-St Brendan’s push for a flag.
Forming an experienced – and effective – opening bowling partnership with Dwain Vidler, the pair have secured 37 wickets between them, but Yze currently has the competition aggregate in hand with 24 scalps.
The Tigers’ stalwart is a timeless wonder of the competition, and his three decades worth of experience will be pivotal in his side’s premiership push.
Kyle Mueller (Kyabram)
The reigning Lightfoot Medallist is once again toward the top of the run-scorers list.
The Kyabram talisman leads all comers with the bat with 362 runs, averaging more than 60 and raising the bat thrice.
Opposition bowling attacks will need to be wary heading into the remaining red-ball action; data suggests Mueller only gets better from here, with his average nearly doubling in the two-day format in the past two seasons.
Sam Langley (Kyabram)
Talk about an immediate impact.
In four matches, the Redbacks paceman has scalped 19 wickets at an average of only seven, immediately stamping his authority on the competition.
Nine of those wickets came in a searing performance against Pine Lodge, but under the bright lights of the Haisman Shield one-day grand final, a man-of-the-match performance of 3-26 underscored his ability to stand up in the big moments.
Tyler Larkin (CPStB)
The Central Park-St Brendan’s skipper made 433 runs in last season’s Haisman Shield season.
He has 317 before Christmas this time around in a sign that the exeprienced Tigers star has taken his batting back up a notch.
Averaging 45 with four half centuries, Larkin has unsurprisingly been a reliable presence at number three, and will be eyeing off a big run in the red ball fixtures en route to finals.
Connor Hayes (CPStB)
Hayes pummelled more than 600 runs last season, and the left-hander has been in similar touch this time around.
The Tigers’ number four has formed an effective one-two punch with his skipper, cracking four consecutive half-centuries to start his season.
The left-hander, who has 294 runs and an average over 50 to his name, has offered plenty for his side and looks unlikely to taper off.
Mitch Winter-Irving (Nagambie)
The long-time Lakers servant has whacked 300 runs and snared 10 wickets to lead the champion player’s bracket.
But beyond the numbers, the timing of his contributions have been important.
With Nagambie in the centre of a mid-table logjam, a statement century against a strong Central Park to finish the year could not have come at a better time, underscoring his experience perfectly.
Cyrus Shafi (Mooroopna)
The Englishman has done it all with bat and ball this season.
With more than 200 runs and 15 wickets with his spin, Shafi has helped Mooroopna to the cusp of the top six, averaging 36 with the willow and 13 with the ball.
The Cats will need him at his best after Christmas – they have Numurkah, Central Park, and Kyabram in their next three games as they aim for finals.
Lachie Keady (Karramomus)
The strength of third-placed Karramomus has been two-fold – an even spread of batters but, more importantly, the quality of its bowling stocks.
At the tip of the spear, Lachie Keady’s stocks have risen sharply this season.
Fresh off six wickets against Old Students, a glance at the right-arm quicks overall picture this season; second in the wickets with 18 at an average of just over 12.
It’s not bad going from your strike bowler, and he’ll be key in the club’s bid to end its decade-long absence from finals.
Jackson McLay (Kyabram)
Honestly, either of the McLay’s could have made claim to a spot here.
Both have been an effective force in the Kyabram bowling attack, with Jackson (17 wickets) and Charlie (16) driving much of the carnage with the ball for the ladder leaders.
But it’s the coach’s influence, coupled with a laser like precision that see’s the right arm quick’s average float around 10, that has earned his place on this list, spearheading a Redbacks bowling barrage that has claimed the most wickets in the competition.
Ben Pedretti (Katandra)
The experienced Eagles star has been one of their shining lights as they attempt to get their season on track.
The Katandra first drop is the Haisman Shield’s second-highest run-scorer with 335 and provided ample resistance for his side, raising the bat on three occasions with a high-score of 105 against Central Park-St Brendan’s.