THE 2009/10 Dandenong District Cricket Association season begins this weekend and News reporter MARC McGOWAN spoke to the local coaches to see how their teams were shaping up.
TURF ONE
Hallam-Kalora Park
Last season: Sixth.
Coach: Greg Booth.
Captain: Corey Booth.
Ins: James Hawley (Casey-South Melbourne) and Paul McDonald (Keysborough).
Outs: Lee Brown (Hawthorn-Monash University) and Mark Houeix (retired).
Rising stars: Nigel Hepponstall, Tyrone Barnes and Troy Knights.
Team to beat: Springvale South.
FINALS are the next step for Hallam-Kalora Park after a solid season back in the top flight.
The Booth brothers, Corey and Leigh, will lead from the front again and their father, Greg, has assumed the coaching reins.
Runs will not be an issue, but the Hawks’ bowling stocks took a hit when spinner Lee Brown left for Premier Cricket club Hawthorn-Monash University and veteran Mark Houeix retired.
Ex-Casey-South Melbourne bowler James Hawley will attempt to offset their exits, while Keysborough captain-coach Paul McDonald also looks set to join Hallam-Kalora Park.
Corey Booth is looking for more from his lesser lights this summer.
“We just need our second-tier players to be a bit more consistent and that could be the difference between us being in the top four,” he said.
Berwick
Last season: Eighth.
Coach: Gavan Wills.
Captain: Paul Evans.
Ins: Jim Davies (England/Bayswater Park) and Cam McDonnell (retirement).
Outs: Alex Roberts (Springvale South) and Brad Molineux (break).
Rising star: Josh Holden.
Team to beat: Parkfield.
STEP up to the stage, Jimmy Davies.
The young Englishman has the unenviable task of stepping into countryman Alex Roberts’ shoes as the Wickers’ import.
Davies played for Berwick a few summers back and returns after plying his trade for Bayswater Park in 2008/09.
Wicketkeeper Brad Molineux is taking a break this season, but another familiar face – Cam McDonnell – will resume bowling his economical off-spinners at Arch Brown Reserve after ‘retirement’.
Former Victorian quick Will Carr’s elbow injury could be the key to the Wickers’ fortunes.
He remains unlikely to take the field at this stage.
The ever-reliable Gavan Wills is coach this season and is preaching a back-to-basics approach.
“We just want to play good cricket,” he said.
“This year our side doesn’t have the depth of last year on paper, but we just hope to again develop some of the younger players as well as enjoy ourselves.
“That’s probably where we’re going to come from as our angle this year. We want to enjoy our cricket and see where that takes us.”
Doveton
Last season: Semi-finalist (second).
Captain-coach: Matt Hutchinson.
Ins: Madura Silva (Sri Lanka) and Liam Roche (work).
Outs: None.
Rising stars: Ryan Pearson and Aaron Brooks.
Teams to beat: Springvale South and Hallam.
DOVETON is a contender for Turf One honours after making the finals for the first time last season.
Leg-spinning all-rounder Madura Silva from Sri Lanka is the Doves’ star recruit, but, most importantly, no-one has departed the Robinson Reserve.
President Steve Hendy is tipping opening batsman Ryan Pearson, who represented the DDCA’s under-21 side last summer, to have a big year in his second season since leaving sub-district club Endeavour Hills.
Hendy believes his club will be in the mix for the premiership.
“We’re certainly going to go into this year with a lot more confidence knowing that we can compete,” he said.
“It was our first experience in Turf One finals and we’ve learned a lot from that and will build on that.”
Narre Warren
Last season: Ninth.
Co-coaches: Ryan Christie and Mark Teeuw.
Captain: Ryan Christie.
Key arrival: Gary Freear (England).
Outs: Wendell Perumal and Dale Christie (both Hawthorn-Monash University), Dave Wheeler and Shane Simpson (both Buckley Ridges) and John Simpson (Upper Beaconsfield).
Rising stars: Nathan King, James Giertz and Trent Anderson.
Team to beat: Berwick.
NARRE Warren will be the home of opportunity in 2009.
Former captain-coach Wendell Perumal led a mass exodus from the Magpies in the off-season that left them seriously lacking experience.
But co-coach Ryan Christie prefers to focus on the positives and they include the chance to blood a host of promising youngsters.
Top-order batsman Nathan King and bowlers James Giertz and Trent Anderson are just three of those youngsters in contention for round one.
Englishman Gary Freear arrives from the Cambridge Shire League and will be relied upon for plenty of runs and a few wickets.
Christie is hopeful of finishing around the middle of the table.
“Last year we definitely followed the old saying of having a team of champions and not a champion team,” he said. “This year we’re hoping we can be a bit more disciplined in our game and certainly get the numbers to get a few wins on the board.”
TURF TWO
Maranatha Methodist
Last season: 10th.
Captain-coach: Jason Hartigan.
Key arrival: Jason Hartigan (Parkdale United).
Outs: Brett Ernst (Mordialloc).
Rising stars: Kyle Hardy and Brendan Wilson.
Team to beat: HSD.
IS THIS the year Maranatha Methodist finally climbs the ladder?
New captain-coach Jason Hartigan certainly hopes so, but he will need his younger players to take major strides considering he is the only recruit of note.
Hartigan, who looked more than capable in two Turf Two matches for the club last season before work commitments made him unavailable, is a straight swap for previous mentor Brett Ernst.
Teenagers Kyle Hardy, a middle-order batsman who can bowl some handy medium pace, and Brendan Wilson, a wicketkeeper-batsman, loom as the most likely at this stage.
Hartigan remains optimistic, despite his club’s lack of off-season activity.
“Things are looking okay … we’re really looking forward to getting out there and playing some cricket,” he said. “I’d say we’ll be very competitive and I’m hoping we’ll play finals cricket – that’s the aim, definitely.”
Cranbourne
Last season: 12th in Turf One (relegated).
Captain-Coach: Ross Woodall.
Ins: Rob Cleeland (Sandringham), Jason Williams (Pakenham) and Steve Hall (England).
Outs: Shane Murdoch (Balnarring) and Dan Hunt (Tooradin).
Rising stars: David Spencer and Nathan Lambden.
Team to beat: Dandenong West.
CRANBOURNE faces the indignity of a season in Turf Two following a dismal summer in the top flight.
But it is anything but doom and gloom at Casey Fields if president Glenn Weir’s mood is any indication.
Shane Murdoch is the only major departure – he is playing with his brothers, Lee and Brent, at Balnarring for one season – but three strong inclusions have raised hopes of an instant return to Turf One.
“We realise we’ve underachieved, given the size and structure of our club,” Weir said. “We deserve to be playing in the top tier, but we cost ourselves last year by bad performances. Everything is pointing to happiness; we’re really happy with how things are going.”
HSD
Last season: Semi-finalist (first).
Coach: Jason Bartlett.
Captain: Yet to be confirmed.
Ins: Nav Ganegoda (Clayton Cavaliers).
Outs: Ben Doran and Scott Brandon (Narre North).
Rising stars: James Alexander and Travis Davis.
Team to beat: Cranbourne.
HSD officials hope this summer is the season they finally earn promotion to Turf One ranks after a disappointing finals campaign in 2008/09.
Ben Doran and Scott Brandon have joined Narre North, while former Clayton Cavalier Nav Ganegoda is the major addition.
Ganegoda will occupy one of the top slots in the batting order and will bowl a bit of off-spin.
But emerging all-rounder James Alexander could provide a surprise lift after new coach Jason Bartlett identified him as one to watch.
“We’re going along quite well, actually, and we’ll be trying to go one better – we’ll just have to see how it pans out,” Bartlett said.
“We’ve brought a couple of new players in and just tried to keep the same core together and hopefully we’ve also got a good injection of young kids at the club who we’re trying to mould in the right direction.”
Hampton Park
Last season: Eighth.
Captain-coach: Daniel Redfern.
Ins: Glenn Reese and Jason Anthony (both Silverton).
Outs: Suhal Khan (Casey-South Melbourne) and Nathan Allen (break).
Rising stars: Travis Lacey and Sheldon Cordrey.
Team to beat: Springvale South.
A CHANGE in attitude could be the spark for an improved season for Hampton Park.
Captain-coach Daniel Redfern is tipping his team to be the big improver in 2009/10.
“We’re hoping to go around the top four,” he said.
“We’ve got our minds set on where we want to go and we could have the side this year to do it. A few blokes just thought they’re coming here to have a bit of fun with mates last year, but this year they’ve realised we have to pull our fingers out.”
Import Jonathan Rudge is back after an impressive season in England and will look to build on a good first-up DDCA campaign.
The left-armer will take plenty of wickets again and should improve on his batting performances from last summer.
Opening bladesman Danny Cortese is also reportedly raring to go, but young all-rounder Travis Lacey is the wildcard in his second season at this level.
Fountain Gate
Last season: Fifth.
Coach: Glenn Jose.
Captain: Cory Wilson.
Ins: Troy Brokenshire and Andrew Lee (both Hallam-Kalora Park) and Luke Hughes (break).
Outs: Bruce and Robert Mullen (work commitments).
Rising stars: Dale Jose and Stewart Scanlon.
Team to beat: Cranbourne.
FOUNTAIN Gate officials had big expectations under DDCA legend Bruce Mullen last season, but the Gators were unable to earn a finals position.
Glenn Jose replaces Mullen this summer and wasted little time installing Cory Wilson as captain.
Batsmen Troy Brokenshire, Luke Hughes and paceman Andrew Lee have all returned to the club.
Robert Mullen may yet play depending on his work commitments, but is a doubtful starter.
Look for strong seasons from Wilson and Nick Scanlon, while youngsters Dale Jose and Stewart Scanlon could push for Turf Two selection.
Jose is confident the Gators can push for a finals place.
“I honestly believe we’ll figure pretty highly again – all our senior sides should play finals, as we did last year,” he said.
“The help of these blokes coming back, Troy Brokenshire and Andrew Lee, are just going to take us to the next level.”
