By Marcus Uhe
NARRE WARREN SOUTH
2022-23 Finish: 5th in Turf 1
Coach: Matthew Brooks
Captain: Kyle Hardy
Ins: Callan Tout (Beaconsfield), Alex Cruickshank, Callum Nicholls
Outs: Jonty Jenner, Zach Wilson, Edwin de Vries, Ethan Kolaritsch
Players to watch: Alex Cruickshank, Riley McDonald, Vineth Jayasuriya Arachchige
Home ground: Strathaird Reserve
Third, fifth, third, and fifth again.
Since returning to Turf 1 in 2020, Narre South hasn’t been able to break free from the middle of the table in Turf 1, but coach Matthew Brooks is hoping this season is the one that bucks the trend.
While a number of young talented players have departed the club with aspirations to play Premier Cricket, in Edwin De Vries, Josh Hotston and Ethan Kolaritsch, they have been replaced by quality cricketers with overseas and local experience he will relish in the longer form of the game.
English import Alex Cruickshank and Beaconsfield Turf 2 premiership player Callan Tout will form a bolstered new ball partnership, while promising Glamorgan Academy player Callum Nicholls will slot into the top order.
Despite being just 19 years of age, Nicholls is familiar with Australian conditions having spent last summer with Hampton Cricket Club in the Cricket Southern Bayside Championship.
Vineth Jayasuriya Arachchige, meanwhile, spent the Australian winter honing his craft in the UK, and is expected to hit the ground running with the bat, while keeper-batter Riley McDonald has been earmarked for a breakout season.
Brooks is hoping that his entire squad can make a better start to the campaign than they have in previous years, with last year particularly problematic, sitting on just one win at the Christmas break.
“Last year was hard because we had a lot of those younger players debut,” Brooks said.
“This year we should be a little bit more stable.
“We’ve got a few new players that have come in and it will take them a little bit of time to find their feet, but I think the majority of the group have played together for a good four/five years, so I think that stability will definitely help us in the early rounds too.
“We’re really looking to start strong this year.
“I think in the last four years we have finished somewhere between third and fifth. We’re definitely looking to take a step forward and hopefully do better in that this year.
The returning Wookey Medallist Jeevan Mendis will loom large in all opponents thoughts when planning for the Lions, with two-day cricket offering a new dimension for the ex-Sri Lankan international to ply his trade.
With a bolstered bowling attack around him, the reliance on Mendis to work his magic to secure wins for the Lions will dramatically decrease.
“When we sat down to look at recruiting we definitely needed a couple of quicks that bolster that, because we’ve lost four or five over the last few years,” Brooks said.
“That was our major weakness last year, but we’ve got a few in.
“Joel Zietsman’s come back to the club too from footy commitments, he’s a quick as well.
“We’ve now probably got four or five to complement Jeevan, so we think our attack’s going to be decent for this level of cricket.”
Having missed finals by just three points last season, a more experienced outfit will be as well-placed as anyone to penetrate the top three.
Fixture:
Round 1 (one day): Saturday 7 October v Berwick (A)
Round 2 (one day): Saturday 14 October v St Mary’s (H)
Round 3 (two day): Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 October v North Dandenong (A)
Round 4 (two day): Saturday 28 October and Saturday 4 November v Beaconsfield (H)
Round 5 (two day): Saturday 11 and 18 November v Buckley Ridges (H)
Round 6 (two day): Saturday 25 November and Saturday 2 December v Hallam Kalora Park (A)
Round 7 (one day): Saturday 9 December v Springvale South (A)
Round 8 (one day): Saturday 16 December v North Dandenong (H)
Round 9 (one day): Saturday 6 January v Beaconsfield (A)
Round 10 (one day): Saturday 13 January v Hallam Kalora Park (H)
Round 11 (two day): Saturday 20 and 27 January v Berwick (H)
Round 12 (two day): Saturday 3 and 10 February v St Mary’s (A)
Round 13 (two day): Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 February v Springvale South (H)
Round 14 (one day): Saturday 24 February v Buckley Ridges (A)
