Jim Allenby and David Bandy Share Olly Cooley Medal 2003-04 – Western Australia Premier Cricket
Western Australian Cricket Association | May 13, 2024
By Ben Oliver
Exceptional seasons from young guns Jim Allenby and David Bandy were rewarded when the pair were proclaimed joint winners of the Olly Cooley Medal at the WACA Ground in March.
Allenby is the first Claremont-Nedlands player to win the medal since the Olly Cooley Medal’s inauguration, while Bandy in now in the elite company of two-times medal winner and Scarborough captain Kade Harvey, who last won the medal four years ago.
In only the third time the award has been shared, Allenby and Bandy tied on 15 votes apiece.They were two votes clear of a four-way tie for second between Brett Dory (Fremantle), Adam Voges (Meville), Nick de Grys (Midland-Guildford) and Garrick Yandle (Mount Lawley).
Past winner Peter Worthington (Midland-Guildford) and Nathan Blight (University) completed a crowded leader board with 12 votes each to finish equal third.
In one of the closest Medal counts in years, Gosnells youngster Luke Pommersbach and Rockingham Mandurah batsman Craig Simmons led the voting early, before University’s Andrew James and Melville’s Adam Voges shared joint leadership at the half-way mark.
After the votes for round 10 had been counted, five players were tied at ten votes apiece, before Bandy and Allenby rocketed home in the later games to jointly claim the coveted award.
It was a breakthrough year for the 21-year old Allenby. The former WA Under-19’s player finished the Vodafone Cup season first for batting aggregates (805 runs) and fifth for averages (50.31). The medium-fast bowler was sixth in the bowling aggregates with 40 wickets at 17.70 apiece.
The exciting all-rounder is also the first player in WACA Pennant history to pass 800 runs and take 40 wickets in a season.
Meanwhile Bandy was the accurate assassin of the Vodafone Cup. His controlled swing bowling netted him 40 wickets at an average of 10.42 and he scored 626 runs at an average of 34.78.
In Second Grade, dual honour’s were shared by Joel Charles (Wanneroo) and Brett Hugo (Scarborough) for the J.P. Robbins Medal, with both players polling 11 votes each.
Gosnell’s Martin Sharp won the Albert Richings Medal for best player in Third grade with 17 votes. Julian Murphy from Melville was victorious in 4th grade, claiming 15 votes to win the Allan Mackley medal.
In the inaugural year of the award, Mick Martell won the Best first year umpire.
Leading Olly Cooley Vote Winners
13 votes Brett Dorey (Frem), Adam Voges (Melv), Garrick Yandle (Mt.Law), 12 votes Peter Worthington (MG), Nathan Blight (Uni), 11 votes Luke Pommersbach (Gos), Nick de Grys (MG), Paul Keenan (Perth), Sam Howman (S-F)
Club Leaders
BM -Michael Thistle (8), CN - James Allenby (15), F - Brett Dorey (13), G - Luke Pomersbach (11), JO - Julian Russell (7), M - Adam Voges (13), MG - Peter Worthington (12), ML - Garrick Yandle (13), P - Paul Keenan (11), RM - Craig Simmons (10), SC - David Bandy (15), SP - Gavin Wates (8), SF - Sam Howman (10), U - Nathan Blight (12),WN - Vincent Clarke (7),WL - Chas Keogh (10)
