By Marcus Uhe
Participation ribbons will not satisfy new Beaconsfield coach Mick Cronin in Turf 1 this summer as the Tigers aim to make waves in their second year at the upper echelon of the Dandenong District Cricket Association.
Cronin and new captain Susantha Pradeep are charged with leading the Tigers through their next stage of progression as they look to establish themselves as a mainstay in Turf 1, with Cronin declaring his side will play with intent.
“We’ve spoken about how we want to play an attacking brand of cricket,” Cronin said.
“Obviously we need to be a little bendy when it arises but we’re going to attack where clubs will expect us not to do that.
“It’s not ‘let’s hang on and try to get 300 runs’, it’s all about ‘when can I attack?’.
“That might bring us undone in some games but that’s the way we need to be to be a strong side in the future in Turf 1.
“We’re not making up the numbers, put it that way – we don’t want to be seen as that.”
Beaconsfield’s first season in Turf 1 saw them avoid the perils of recent sides by holding its ground and not suffering the dreaded slip down the grades.
They struggled with the bat, making just two scores of over 200 for the season in two-day cricket, with a heavy reliance on the departed captain/coach Mark Cooper to save the day with the blade time and again.
The dogged veteran spent countless hours at the wicket absorbing new-ball pressure at the top of the order and grafted 463 runs with four fifties to earn Team of the Year selection.
The bowling department has suffered significantly over the offseason too, with three of the top five wicket takers from last summer, in Cooper, Trishane De Silva and Yohan Arumadura all having changed their colours.
Pradeep is a ‘more than adequate” replacement to succeed Cooper in the eyes of his coach, with the two sharing a long-fostered relationship having crossed paths at Buckley Ridges, while a focus on the emerging talent at Perc Allison will see a young side plying their trade more often than not.
“We’re very very happy with where we’re sitting at the moment but for us it’s more the mental side with the young guys – they’re lacking it a little bit so I’m working overtime with that,” Cronin said.
“It’s all about the youth – it’s not about ‘I want this guy to play because he’s been around the club’, that happened last year and the year before I’ve been told, and that’s not happening on my watch, it’s all about the youth.
“In saying that, if some of the older fellas do perform really strong too, there will be an opportunity there as well.
“Mainly young players, that’s what we’re aiming for.”
Cronin’s first game at the helm of the Tigers comes on Saturday when the Tigers head to Narre South to tackle the Lions, before meeting a pair of finalists from last season in Buckley Ridges and Hallam Kalora Park in the following fortnight.
