The Lavington opening bat also coaches Holbrook, who won the Hume League flag in September.

Sharp, having stepped back from cricket in 2021/22, strapped on the pads again this season and played a major role in bringing the provincial shield back to Lavington Sports Ground.

He played one game before Christmas but then roared back into form after the turn of the year, scoring 317 runs in nine innings leading into the grand final.

Sharp's peak was the double-header in February, when he scored 184 runs in 24 hours.

Having made 80 against East Albury on Saturday, he followed that up with a brilliant 104 in the win over Corowa on Sunday.

Sharp opened the batting with Jordan Rhodes in the grand final and made 17 off 43 balls as the Panthers went on to record a match-winning 7/223.

He then took two catches to get rid of Tendai Chisoro and Dean Nicholson as Lavington bowled the Patties out for 173.

"You just know what you're going to get from him every week," Panthers coach Mick Galvin said.

"We know he's a very busy man, that he's got a lot going on, so if we can just get him cherry-ripe for the right part of the year, we know what we're going to get from him. He's such a competitor.

"As a football premiership coach, he brings a calmness to the group, he's got a great knowledge of sport: how to play and how to win.

"He's a great influence for everyone here.

"It's probably put a few other people to shame out there, who don't think you can do both.

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"He just loves cricket and he wants to play as much as he can.

"Football clubs are a bit more demanding on your time so for him to juggle both and get the success today as well as with the footy is really pleasing."

Galvin is playing football for Jindera this year and could come up against Sharp in three weeks' time when the Bulldogs travel to face Holbrook in round one of the new Hume League season.

Chris Galvin, player-of-the-match on Saturday, has also committed to Jindera.

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