By Gavin Staindl
Last season: Fourth.
In: Ash Henry (returned from year off), Andrew Perrin (Casey-South Melbourne), Mitch Hewitt (Upwey-Tecoma).
Out: Paul Evans (Lyndale).
If you made the grand final who would you meet: Buckley Ridges or South Springvale.
Players to watch: James Davies – he is our returning import player and expect him to have another good year. Brad Francis – has joined up as an assistant coach and in for a big year. Ash Henry – coming back, he’s a talented leg spinner and middle-order bat.
Captain’s comments – Jarrod Goodes: “We’ll have a very competitive season. Our standard has improved and we’ll be there abouts pushing for finals. We have got some pretty competitive recruits but most importantly we have all improved on where we were last year.”
@BT Sub Sport News:HALLAM-KALORA PARK
Last season: Ninth.
In: Lee Brown (Hawthorn), Luke Bryron (St Mary’s), Nirman Jayasinghe (Bayswater), Jake Murphy (England), Lovejeet Randhawa (overseas), Rhys Serpanchy (St Mary’s).
Out: Alistair Neale (England), Ryan Hillard (Frankston).
If you made the grand final who would you meet: Buckley Ridges or South Springvale.
Players to watch: Lee Brown – off-spinner coming back from Hawthorn will be much better for his run at premier level. Leigh Booth – is fit, and a fit Leigh Booth can make 500-600 runs and take 20-plus wickets.
Captain’s comments – Rob Walton: “I’m a realist and we’re not premiership material, but we’ll push sides and make sure we’re not easy to beat. We’ve got five new players in the firsts which I’m pretty happy about and I would like to think we can make finals.”
@BT Sub Sport News:NARRE WARREN
Last season: 11th.
In: Niamal Wickramarantna (Sri Lanka)
Out: Jarred Leeworthy (year off), Ben Carter (Dandenong).
If you made the grand final who would you meet: Springvale South or Buckley Ridges.
Players to watch: Niamal Wickramarantna – obviously has got the potential to be a really good player for us. Nathan King – is a reliable opening bowler and opening bat. Omar Baker – ability to both bat and bowl and working really hard on game looking like becoming a good Turf One cricketer.”
Captain’s comments – Chris Jarret: “We were lucky to stay up last year so our aim is to avoid relegation. We are pretty realistic at where the cricket club is and we’re going to keep bringing juniors up and hopefully we finish around mid-table.”
@BT Sub Sport News:HEINZ SOUTHERN DISTRICTS
Last season: First in Turf Two (promoted).
In: Roshan De Silva, Wendell Perumal (Hawthorn), Keith Perumal (Hawthorn).
Out: None.
If you made the grand final who would you meet: Springvale South.
Players to watch: Rashan De Silva – past Wookey medallist. Michael Davies and Justin Davis – both vice-captains this year and if they have good seasons we’ll be really competitive.
Captain’s comments – Wendell Perumal: “Expect HSD to be doing reasonably well, although there will be tough times ahead. This is the first time the club has been to Turf One and our first goal is to not get relegated but we’re mentally and physically prepared for Turf One cricket.”
@BT Sub Sport News:DOVETON
Last season: Fifth.
In: Shane White (Officer), Nick Fairbank (Nyora), Ben Baxter (Officer).
Out: Keeper Dave Cranchfield (England).
If you made the grand final who would you meet: Springvale South.
Players to watch: Jason Arnberger – didn’t have a massive year, but hopefully he can have a bigger one this year. Matt Hutchinson – put in his biggest pre-season, he’s flying fit and has taken plenty of wickets in the past and it will be even bigger this season. Nathan Wilson – first season as coach and came good in last half of season.
Captain’s comments: “We have definitely got the side to win the flag. We needed to recruit a couple of players and we’ve done that so if things go our way we’ll give it a shake. We have had the best bowling attack in the competition for the last three years and Nick Fairbank will only strengthen that while Ben Baxter will help out with the keeping duties.”
TURF TWO
@BT Sub Sport News:FOUNTAIN GATE
Last season: Sixth.
In: Andrew Gleave (England).
Out: None.
If you made the grand final who would you meet: Coomoora.
Players to watch: Andrew Gleave – Scored over 400 runs in the previous times he has played with us, he had a really good season with his English County club and he’ll take that into his senior role in improving our bats. Stewart Scanlon and Dale Jose – juniors who have come through the ranks and are both capable with bat and ball, they have a lot of enthusiasm as well.
Captain’s comments – Daniel Ferguson: “We’re hoping to play finals this year. We were disappointed with last year but we want to continue on with improvements that we showed towards the end.”
@BT Sub Sport News:CRANBOURNE
Last season: Second.
In: Captain/coach Yohan Vorster (South Africa), Scott Eastwood (Hampton Park).
Out: Cam Dinger (Dandenong), Aaron Morrison (Dandenong), Kyle Brooke (Frankston).
If you made the grand final who would you meet: As I am new, I don’t really know any of the teams, but I don’t care. At the end of day 11 guys walk on the field who we have to be better than.
Players to watch: Jordan Baker and Brayden Lambden – they’re both 17 and both mature, skilful cricketers, and I am surpised they haven’t been picked up by the premier teams yet, they are fast, committed, intimidating bowlers who take a lot of wickets.
Captain’s comments – Yohan Vorster: “We have a good chance at winning it. We have been training hard for 10 weeks and I exposed them to a lot. Right from the outset we worked on our physical fitness because whatever skills and abilities you have is complemented by fitness – physical and mental. By the first week we’ll be a well-oiled machine that’s polished and ready for anything thrown towards us. We have the hunger to win.”
@BT Sub Sport News:NARRE NORTH
Last season: Seventh.
In: Brad Angus (Cranbourne), Michael Robson (England), Suzi Khan (Hampton Park).
Out: Ruwan Jayadeva.
If you made the grand final who would you meet: Lyndale.
Players to watch: Ben Doran – he’s a fitter, stronger player than last year. Josh Tonna – had a good pre-season and hitting ball well, he is also at the right age (20) to be taking that step up. Marshall Gray – He is 15-years-old but watch out for him because he will be a gun.
Captain’s comments – Shane Luck: “I have very high expectations of our young list. We’ve been training close to four months and I’m expecting good things to come out of this year.”
@BT Sub Sport News:NARRE SOUTH
(Formerly Maranatha Methodist)
Last season: Ninth.
In: Leigh Paterson (Kooweerup), Matthew Pongracic (Merinda Park).
Out: Richard Hope (Buckley Ridges), Nayantha Weeraman (overseas).
Captain’s comments – Mick Cronan: Could not be contacted.
