Star all-rounder Matthew Hutchinson (left) and young opening batsman Ryan Pearson (above) are the latest key players to leave Endeavour Hills. By Marc McGowan
ENDEAVOUR Hills will go back to the future in the 2008-09 Victorian Sub District Cricket Association (VSDCA) season following the departures of another two key players.
VSDCA team of the year all-rounder Matthew Hutchinson and promising opening batsman Ryan Pearson became the latest departures and will play for Doveton in the Dandenong District Cricket Association in summer.
They join Pakenham-bound former captain-coach Ben Maroney, wicketkeeper Jason Williams and all-rounder Dom Paynter in cutting ties with the club.
There could be more to come, too, with fast bowler Simon Black and teenage sensation Matt Aslett also considering their options.
Black was linked to Casey-South Melbourne before last season and is again looking at playing Victorian Premier Cricket, while Dandenong is courting Aslett.
English import Karl Turner, who quit midway through last summer due to a disagreement with individuals at the club – not because of an injury as previously reported – will also not be back.
All eight players were regulars in the Hills’ first XI in 2007-08.
But help may be on its way, with teenage stars and former Endeavour Hills juniors Matthew Foenander and Neil Peake – brother of Hills players Shane, Chris and Matthew – set to return to the club from Victorian Premier Cricket duties.
Vaughn Baxter has taken over from Maroney as first XI captain-coach after steering Endeavour Hills to its inaugural VSDCA flag at second XI level last season.
This summer will be Baxter’s third stint as first XI captain-coach at the Hills.
“Next year will be a development year and after winning our first sub district flag we’ll promote the kids,” he said.
“Doing the team things will be our main emphasis and we’ll be looking towards doing the basics, which we haven’t done in the past, like batting all our overs and bowling to plans.
“The ones batted 80 overs only twice all year, whereas the twos did it six or seven times and that’s why we played finals.”
Baxter has earmarked bowling brothers Lachlan and Andrew McIver as first XI regulars next season, while also revealing that other up-and-coming talents are likely to receive chances.
“There will be a couple of experienced guys from the twos that will come up with me, but we’ll mainly be going with youth,” he said.
“We’ll just try to develop the young kids for the future of the club and push towards doing the basic things well.”
Baxter said his club did not have an alliance with Victorian Premier Cricket clubs Casey-South Melbourne and Dandenong, but would encourage his players to pursue higher honours.
Endeavour Hills previously had a link with Casey-South Melbourne through former player Brad Baptist, who was a Swans second XI player and curator at Casey Fields last summer.
But Baptist will join former Casey-South Melbourne president Graham Yallop at Hawthorn-Monash University next season.
The wicketkeeping situation is still up in the air following Williams’ exit.
Kane Gillespie wore the gloves in Williams’ absence last summer, but may only play as a batsman next season.
The club is looking at several options, including wooing a former Hills wicketkeeper or even chasing an overseas player to fill the position.
