CASEY-SOUTH Melbourne’s English recruit Chris Benham appears to be champing at the bit to reach Australian shores.
The Hampshire batsman, known as Shane Warne’s “love child”, was texting Swans administration manager Merrilynne Hayes from England constantly during Saturday’s one-day contest against Ringwood for score updates.
The 24-year-old has had visa problems but should be in the country in time to pad up for Casey-South Melbourne’s double-header this weekend.
NEW Hampton Park Football Club coach Jason Caples is seriously considering pulling on the boots for the Casey Cardinia league team in 2008.
While the former champion Springvale Scorpion hopes to avoid it, Caples, who is an electrician, is willing to take Mondays off work to recover from games.
IT WAS an interesting atmosphere at the Casey Scorpions’ best and fairest presentation night at Castello’s at Berwick Springs on Friday night.
Former Scorpions coach Peter Banfield, who resigned last month after the club advertised his position, was in attendance after previously saying he was undecided about whether he would turn up.
Banfield handed out several awards to the senior team and watched as a series of his players spoke glowingly of his coaching performance over the past three years.
The 41-year-old made an emotional speech about his time with Casey and no one was left in doubt about how he felt about the past few weeks.
Banfield is holding discussions with potential suitors this week and revealed that he would definitely be coaching next season.
ENDEAVOUR Hills basketball prospect Stephanie Cumming had a quiet start to the 2007 Women’s National Basketball League season on Saturday night.
Cumming, 17, managed two points and two rebounds in 11 minutes of action in the Australian Institute of Sport’s (AIS) 71-79 loss to the Sydney University Flames at AIS Training Hall.
ANOTHER Endeavour Hills product of the AIS is continuing to make his mark on the International Tennis Federation circuit.
Andrew Coelho, 19, is tracking at a career-high world ranking of 351.
AIS head coach and former tour player Brent Larkham believes the left-hander has the talent to be in the top 100 by the end of 2008.
“It’s a big jump but I’d like to see him in the next bracket next year,” Larkham said from France.
“If you can get yourself into the top 100 by 20 then you’ll have 10 years of opportunity, money and career.”
STILL on tennis, Cranbourne star Chloe West’s return to ITF level hit a snag this week when she was knocked out in the second round of qualifying at Rockhampton in Queensland.
It was West’s first ITF tournament in 12 months after numerous injuries and the first of six straight events for the 19-year-old.
The teenager is hoping to crack the top 700 in the world rankings by the end of the trip, which takes in Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.
FORMER Endeavour Hills Rugby Union Club winger Digby Ioane scored a try in the Melbourne Rebels’ 23-3 Australian Rugby Championship semi-final triumph at Parramatta Stadium on Sunday.
The Wallaby dynamo and the Rebels now face the Central Coast Rays in the grand final in Gosford on Saturday at 3pm.
