Hauenstein secures GCA’s top gong

THE Geelong Cricket Association (GCA) has awarded the first division’s top individual accolade to one of the competition’s youngest players at this year’s presentation night.

Eighteen-year-old Harry Hauenstein was declared the winner of the coveted Jack Sing Medal for season 2021-22 after securing 19 votes in the campaign’s voting tally, six votes ahead of Lara’s Daniel Weigl who finished second.

“I think I got a bit lucky, the other players played a few less games than I did,” Hauenstein said in a humble fashion after receiving the medal.

South Barwon was a rung above the GCA 1 class in 2021-22 despite its shock semi-final exit against North Geelong.
However, Hauenstein was a major cog in the Swans 14 matches prior to finals.

The young gun led the division in total runs with 603 averaging 46.38 per game.

Hauenstein was also handy with the bowl, claiming 18 wickets, ranking 14th across the league up there amongst star bowlers such as St Joseph’s Austin Humphrey and North Geelong’s Tom Mathieson.

“I definitely didn’t get faster, but I’ve tried becoming a bit more consistent than what I was last year,” Hauenstein said.

“Batting in general is my favourite part of the game. I do like bowling, but just building up throughout an innings has become my favourite part as a batsman.”

Hauenstein, the son of South Barwon CC legend and three-time Jack Sing Medal winner Brad Hauenstein, had plenty of people to credit for his rapid rise through the GCA ranks.

“Credit goes to dad and the coaches they have at South as well as the pathway coaches,” Hauenstein said.

“Stephen Field, Angus Boyd and Tyler Larkin were some of the players from Geelong Cricket Club that coached the team I was in at the Barwon Rockets.”

Grovedale’s Jordan Moran finished the count in second with 12 votes, while North Geelong’s Alistair McCann and East Belmont’s Jordan Rossi tied for third with 10 votes a piece.