Behind the stumps: Angus Uwland and Tharaka Sendanayake win top SWCA award, Team of the Year announced

The all-rounder, who plays football for Colac in the winter, polled 16 votes to share the top honour with Pomborneit's Tharaka Sendanayake.

Uwland views his fitness as a real strength, in a sport where it is not necessarily seen as being crucial to performance.

"I think fitness is a big key for me," Uwland told The Standard.

"If I can stay fitter for longer, I'm out in the park and all that, little stuff, come the end of the games when you're concentrating because you're not worrying about breathing heavily, it makes a difference for me and probably sets me a part compared to a few others.

Uwland struck 203 runs at an average of 22.56 and snared 18 wickets across 11 regular-season division one matches.

Sendanayake scored a competition-high 539 runs at 59.89 and claimed 20 wickets.

Uwland said he wasn't expecting win the award because of Sendanayake's superior statistics but added that it was "good recognition".

The award nod hasn't impacted the Knight's focus on the upcoming grand final, with his side taking on Bookaar on Saturday for the ultimate prize.

"As I said earlier in the year, I'm just happy playing my part and as long as we have team success that was the ultimate goal," he said.

"So for us to be in the grand final has made it feel even better rather than winning this individual award.

"It's pretty cliche but that's the way it is."

Uwland is relishing the feeling of qualifying for the final game of the season.

"It's different, still playing cricket when footy practice matches are on," he said.

"It's a good feeling, obviously unexpected but all the boys put in a heap of work to even make finals so to get to this stage it just reiterates that what we've been doing is the right thing. It's been great."

Pomborneit division one captain Grant Place lauded Sendanayake for his phenomenal individual season.

"He was, I thought hands above, the best player in the competition this year," he told The Standard.

"I'm glad he got his reward for a great season."

Place was particularly impressed by Sendanayake's batting form.

"He's in a good place with his life at the moment," he said.

"He's happy and he seems to be paying off with the bat especially.

"He's bowled well for the whole five years he's been at Pomborneit but hasn't really fired like he has this year with the bat.

"It's good to see."

The Bulls captain also spoke highly of his star all-rounder's character.

"He's a great man," he said.

"He's a very funny man, he doesn't say a lot but he's always very animated.

"He loves Pomborneit and we love having him here hopefully for many more years to come."

Heytesbury Rebels bowler Bayley Thompson clinched the division one bowling aggregate award with 24 wickets during the home-and-away season.

The Russells Creek and Northern Raiders junior presentations are being held this Friday evening from 5.30pm at Jetty Flat.

This covers the clubs' combined under 13's, 15's and 17's teams.

Barbeque supplied with all families, sponsors and supporters welcome.

The Northern Raiders are conducting their senior and junior presentations on Sunday, March 19 at Rafferty's Tavern, with Lunch from 12pm.

Sponsors, supporters, players and families welcome.

This will also incorporate acknowledging Grassmere's 40 and 50-year 1982-83 and 1972-73 A grade premiership reunions.

Simon Harkness (Heytesbury Rebels, captain), David Murphy (Pomborneit), Simon Baker (Bookaar), Tharindu Rukshan (Camperdown), Jacob Fishwick (Noorat), Tharaka Sendanayake (Pomborneit), Eddie Lucas (Bookaar, wk), Simon Murfett (Cobden, vice captain), Bayley Thompson (Heytesbury Rebels), Angus Uwland (Cobden), James O'Neil (Camperdown), Tom Darcy (Pomborneit, 12th).

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