Malhotra dominates with bat as GCA1 bowlers jostle for top spot

LARA batter Vishesh Malhotra has pulled away from the crowd in the GCA1 runs leaderboard, whilst the wicket-taking race is heating up with five rounds to play.

Malhotra returned to the Cats as they moved into the top grade this season and has scored 480 runs from his eight matches.

Whilst the majority of his total comes from his opening round double ton against Newtown & Chilwell, Malhotra has averaged 68.6 runs per match this season and has hit 32 boundaries.

St Joseph’s captain Andrew Casey comes in at second on the leaderboard, with 422 runs at an average of 52.8 per game, whilst East Belmont’s Luke Inglis sits five runs behind him on 417 with an impressive average of 69.5.

In the wicket-takers category, the race is much tighter, with just seven wickets splitting first and fifth.

Grovedale’s Sam Coutts leads the way with 23 in his seven matches this season, thanks to six and seven-wicket hauls.

The paceman added another four to his tally last weekend in their win over Lara.

St Peters’ James Stokes sits one wicket behind Coutts on 22 and has had five matches with two or more wickets and two with at least five.

Not far behind Stokes is Lara’s Luke Wilson, who sits on 19 wickets from his eight games. Wilson only has one match with under two wickets, when he didn’t take one in round eight last year.

GCA1 LEADING RUNSCORERS (after Round 9)

Vishesh Malhotra (Lara) – 480 runs (68.6 avg.)

Andrew Casey (St Joseph’s) – 422 runs (52.8 avg.)

Luke Inglis (East Belmont) – 417 runs (69.5 avg.)

Tyson Windus (Newtown & Chilwell) – 356 runs (44.5 avg.)

Luke Ford (St Peters) – 351 runs (58.5 avg.)

Shane McNamara (East Belmont) – 351 runs (43.9 avg.)

GCA1 LEADING WICKET TAKERS (after Round 9)

Sam Coutts (Grovedale) – 23

James Stokes (St Peters) – 22

Luke Wilson (Lara) – 19

Jack Jenkins (East Belmont) – 18

Austin Humphrey (St Joseph’s) – 16