SEASON PACKED WITH SURPRISES
With top-end teams in Guild-St Mary’s and Lethbridge controversially bumped from GCA3, and the return of North Shore and Little River to turf cricket, the new-look GCA4 competition promises to be full of surprises. Geelong Advertiser sports editor Alex ru
Oates GUILD-ST MARY’S
Captain: Anand Choudhary
Coach: Anand Choudhary
Arrivals: KK. Pathan (Highton), Harry Singh (Western Eagles), Charul Patel (returning from India), Mohammed Khan (Wallington), Zulqarairn Anjum (Barkley Street United),
Departures: Dhanuja Nandana (Waurn Ponds-Deakin), Umar Ashgar (moved to Tasmania), Amrit Chhina (moved to NSW), David Middleton (Manifold Heights)
Medal tip: Mandeep Aulakh (GuildSt Mary’s)
Team to beat: “I think Lethbridge is the team to beat. They are very unlucky to be in this division. I think they are a strong club,” vice-president Kevin O’Leary said.
Addy says: It’s been a mixed bag on the recruiting front for the Saints, who have lost quality players, but have also added some talent to remain in premiership contention. Ashgar and Chhina’s relocation interstate hurts, and Nandana’s defection to the Eagles is a blow, but the club is hopeful of “breaking even” with the addition of Pathan, Singh and Patel. Either way, the Saints will be pushing for a flag.
LETHBRIDGE
Captain: Hayden Spiller
Coach: Josh Owers
Arrivals: Matt Dillon (returning) Medal tip: Shane Dillon (Lethbridge) Team to beat: “Guild-St Mary’s would be the team that I think would be the most capable. They were a very good side last season,” captain Hayden Spiller said.
Addy says: The club will be feeling the loss of club stalwart Paul Stewart, who sadly died in August. A popular figure and regular first XI player,
Stewart’s death has rocked the country club. The Rosellas will be determined to put in a good showing this season, and having been dumped from GCA3, the Hayden Spiller-led side will be one of the premiership contenders after finishing third last season with nine victories.
LITTLE RIVER
Captain: Nic Fairchild
Coach: Daniel Burrows
Arrivals: Matt Forrest, (Souths Sharks, Mackay Cricket Association), David Oborne (Newtown & Chilwell), Davinder Singh (Wallington), Nic Dunn, Jack Tabor (Bell Park), Chris Andrews (Wyndham Vale) Departures: David Murphy (North Geelong).
Medal tip: Hayden Spiller (Lethbridge)
Team to beat: “Guild-St Mary’s. After finishing on top in GCA3 last season, we see them as the benchmark of the competition and the team to beat,” captain Nic Fairchild said.
Addy says: Returning after a stint on hard-wickets in the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association, the Redbacks will enter the unknown in GCA4. With a new-look coaching panel, comprising Daniel Burrows, Daniel Fraser and recruit Dave Oborne, Little River has retained the bulk of its senior list while adding a handful of first XI recruits. With a bit of luck, skipper Nic Fairchild has enough talent at his disposal to be more than competitive this season. A finals berth would not be out of the question.
MEREDITH
Captain: Troy Bott
Coach: Eugene Stanciu
Arrivals: Russell Baddeley (returning), Blayne Sharp (Anakie)
Departures: Adam Trevean (B Park), Angus Hogarth (Elaine, Ballarat CA). Medal tip: Hayden Spiller (Lethbridge)
Team to beat: “Lethbridge. Players such as Shane Dillon and Hayden Spiller with bat and ball are a class above and stand up when it counts. Brent Donaldson working with the kids in lower grades has been beneficial. They have excelled with local junior development. It will be exciting to watch young blokes such as Ryan Perkins and Jack Giles (just to name a few) make a real impact in their first XI,” president Shane Grinter.
Addy says: A couple of late arrivals in Russell Baddeley and Blayne Sharp have strengthened the Rams, who have retained a bulk of their senior list. Sharp made 274 runs at 30.44 last season, but has departed Anakie in a boost for Meredith. Led by star batter and playing coach Eugene Stanciu, the Rams will again be a tough commodity in a new-look Division 4.
NEWCOMB & DISTRICT
Captain: Andrew Webb
Coach: Andrew Spengler
Arrivals: Andrew Spengler, Cam Egan, Daniel Harrison (St Leonards, BPCA), Luke Parker (returning), Thushan Wanninayake, Dinula Jayasinghe (Sri Lanka).
Departures: Anthony Quarrell (Grovedale), Stuart Keys (St AlbansBreakwater), Kaidyn Henry, Darcy Campbell (Bell Park), Andrew Vella (Leopold).
Medal tip: Cam Egan (Newcomb & District).
Team to beat: “Guild-St Mary’s, but there has been a big turnover of players in Division 4 from what I’ve heard, so it will be a matter of whoever gets their team balance right early,” coach Andrew Spengler said.
Addy says: With the inclusion of heavy hitter Andrew Spengler and damaging all-rounder Cam Egan, the Dinos have gone a long way to covering the absence of run machine Anthony Quarrell. And having been dumped from GCA3 after a morethan competitive season, Newcomb & District is among the early contenders for premiership glory.
NORTH SHORE
Captain: James Beasley
Coach: Josh Lowe
Arrivals: Brendan Schultz (Bell Park).
Departures: Nil.
Medal tip: Tom Beasley (North Shore)
Team to beat: “Guild-St Mary’s. They had a cracking side in GCA3 last season,” coach Josh Lowe said. Addy says: The step up from the
GCA3 seconds will be a challenge for North Shore, but it’s one coach Josh Lowe is ready for. The Seagulls will be striving for more consistency, with Lowe admitting they “turned to water” in the second half of the season. There’s more than enough talent in the turf squad, but North Shore’s batters will need to lift if the first XI is the challenge in GCA4.
TEESDALE
Captain: Shaun Patten
Coach: Shaun Patten
Arrivals: Nathan Owens, (Southern Titans, Warrnambool CA) Departures: Rhys Campbell (retired) Medal tip: Shane Dillon (Lethbridge)
Team to beat: “Lethbridge. They were still keen to stay up in Division 3 and they were one of the teams that got a hold of us last season,” coach Shaun Patten said.
Addy says: The Roos will be eager to promote a crop of younger player in the hope they can make the step up to First XI cricket, according to captain-coach Shaun Patten. Teesdale is capable of pushing for finals, producing competitive matches throughout last season, and with a bit of luck Patten’s team will win more than its fair share of matches.
WAURN PONDS-DEAKIN
Captain: Jono Thompson
Coach: Jono Thompson
Arrivals: Phil Visser (Free State, South Africa), Dhanuja Nandana (Guild-St Mary’s), Mitchell Stephens (Echuca South), Sanjeewa Jayasekara (Knox City).
Departures: Cameron Rochow (Port Melbourne), Jack Cain (Leopold), Raj Sathikumar (Geelong West). Medal tip: Hayden Spiller (Lethbridge).
Team to beat: Guild-St Mary’s. They’re really dangerous with the bat and appear to have retained the bulk of what was a strong turf squad last season,” president Daniel Breen says.
Addy says: The Eagles have emerged as a dark horse of the competition after a fruitful off-season. The club has won the services of Sri Lankan speedster Dhanuja Nandana, who left rivals Guild-St Mary’s, and he is said to have picked up a yard of pace from last season. Waurn Ponds-Deakin has also lured South African Phil Visser, a top-order bat who will only strengthen the club’s push for a flag.