Australia finds its number one

Spectacular knocks from a Tasmanian club cricketer and a former AFL star headline the top batting performances Australia-wide for the 2013-14 season.

Playing for New Norfolk Cricket Club in the Apple Isle, Stewart Rice smashed an unbeaten 324 off 125 balls to find himself with the country’s highest individual score according to the newly launched Weet-Bix MyCricket Honour Board Facebook app.

The Honour Board ranks every innings of 100 or more scored in Junior, Senior, Veteran, Women’s, Men’s, Premier Grade and State Cricket so weekend willow wielders can compare their milestones with the nation’s best.

Rice’s innings included 10 fours and a whopping 38 sixes, but the number five was quick to downplay his big afternoon.

“I just had one of those days where I middled most shots and the ones I didn’t (middle) fell into the gaps,” Rice said

“I got dropped twice on two and eight (but) once I got going, the opposition captain spread the field.

“Luckily if I didn’t hit it for six, the mistimed shots went in between the fielders.

“Obviously it’s a good feeling (being number one), but I don’t play the game for individual scores.”

Rice averaged a shade over 66 across the entire season and notched another century in New Norfolk’s Southern Cricket Association grand final win.

Despite not being a big Facebook user himself, the 46-year-old expects his sons to be frequent visitors to the app.

“It’ll be great to view any hundred hit across the country and lookup teammates’ centuries,” Rice said.

“No doubt my kids will be all over the MyCricket Honour Board.”

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Retired St Kilda small forward Stephen Milne also made the list, with his 262no for Heinz Southern Districts CC in the Dandenong District Cricket Association in Melbourne seeing him finish in 12th place nation-wide.

In all, more than 10,000 scores above 100 were tallied in 2013/14, including 88 double centuries and four triple tons.

Commonwealth Bank Southern Star Alex Blackwell hit the highest score by a female cricketer, with 223 for her Universities Women’s CC side.

In stark contrast to Rice’s knock, Blackwell struck 35 boundaries without clearing the rope.

While Hamish Lelliott flew the flag for the next generation of Australian cricketers, the 14-year-old’s unbeaten 272 for Faulconbridge CC in NSW the ninth highest score of the season and the top junior batting performance.

Check out the full list of centurions on the Weet-Bix Honour Board here.