SENIOR WINNER

Promising young Cranbourne paceman Mark Weeding is on track to achieve his goal of playing Premier Cricket with his hero, new Australian fast bowler Peter Siddle.

The 16yearold took five wickets, including a hat-trick, to bowl the Eagles' turf 4 team to victory in their one-day game against the Southern Pirates.

Weeding took career-best figures of 5-28 in a devastating five-over spell to shoot the Pirates out for 79. The Eagles comfortably chased down the target, posting 8-209.

It was Weeding's second hat-trick - his first was in the under-13s - and he says it came as a shock.

"My coach and teammates were more excited. I tried not to think that I was on a hat-trick and that it was just another ball.

"I just tried to bowl it on a good, consistent length. It pitched outside off stump, cut back and took middle stump. I was just in shock that the ball came out so well and that I'd taken a hat-trick."

Such was his impeccable line that he bowled all three batsmen in claiming his hat-trick. He trapped another batsman lbw, and had another caught behind.

Weeding said he modelled himself on Dandenong and Australian paceman Peter Siddle.

" I like the way he bowls and the way he runs in and gives everything each ball. I'd love to play in the same side and open the bowling with him - it would be awesome."

Weeding, whose five-wicket haul surpassed his previous best figures of 4-23 in the C-grade earlier this season, is also a Dandenong District Cricket Association under-15 and -16 representative, and is sure to catch the eye of the talent scouts at Siddle's premier club Dandenong.

Junior Cricketer of the Week awards resume next week.

Garrleigh Trophies is again offering a trophy for the senior and junior Cricketer of the Week and Cricketer of the Year. Weekly winners can collect trophies from Garrleigh Trophies at factory 3, 2 Hallam South Road, Hallam.