Cricket season fires up
Sam Laffy takes a look at how each club is shaping up for the 2016/17 season in part one of a two-part season preview.
Buln Buln
Last season: Division 1 – Semi Finalists, Division 3 – Runner-Up, Division 4 – Runner-Up
Key recruits: The Lyrebirds have been busy in the off-season, bringing in two massive signings as they seek to again taste premiership success.
Rhys Holdsworth – a former Vic Country representative, VCCL Team of the Year representative, and all Gippsland XI member – has been lured from Trafalgar and is a gun middle order bat and handy change bowler.
He has a proven track record in the WDCA – including one of the few double-centuries scored in recent years – and is a fearsome proposition for any line-up.
Jackson Noonan has also joined him from Trafalgar, and is a skilled new-ball bowler who has tasted premiership success in the CGCA, and been an All-Gippsland representative.
Braydon Fowler, John Wallin, and Brad Spicer will also appear in season 2016/17.
Departures: The work in the off-season has largely been due to the departure of two key players from last season’s line-up, with premier all-rounder Nick Powell not returning from England, and young gun Dane Fawcett returning to Neerim District.
Club news: Luke Gilbert has been re-appointed as senior coach, and maintaining their core division one group of Jagoe, Walsh, Monahan, Eastwell, Bishop and Park.
Buln CC will hope to gain an advantage by playing several home games on the turf at Eastern Park, and have scheduled in guest coaching appearances from the likes of Keith Jansz, Ron Harper, and Paul Gavin in order to further develop their playing squad.
Prediction: Buln have been in the mix for the last couple of seasons, with a developing squad of talented youngsters helping them to regular finals appearances.
However, with youth comes inconsistency, and the Lyrebirds’ offseason signings have sought to rectify this.
They have maintained the vast majority of their playing squad from last summer and will be definite finals players this summer.
Anything short of a grand final appearance in division one would be a disappointment for the club, as they look to hoist the ‘cup’ for the first time since 2012/13.
In the lower grades, the Lyrebirds have been very successful in recent seasons, and will again be one of the teams to beat.
Bunyip
Last season: Division 1 – 8th, Division 3 – 8th, Division 6 – 7th
Key recruits: While many clubs have looked outside the WDCA for their off-season recruits, Bunyip have focused on the local area with an eye on building up a side that can stick together for an extended period of time.
James McKellar (a crafty right arm bowler and underrated batsman), and Dan Clebney (a left-arm medium capable of opening the bowling) have joined from Drouin, while Jared Morris (an emerging opening batsmen who can also take the gloves, and act as an all-rounder) has joined from Ellinbank.
Departures: Two of Bunyip’s promising youngsters – Sam Whibley and Davis McConnell – have left the club to try their luck in district cricket, with Whibley joining Dandenong and McConnell Kingston-Hawthorn.
The Bulls have also lost the services of Glenn Vandeligt and Travis McNamara for the summer.
Club news: Off the field, Bunyip have announced Tyler McMillan as club president for 2016/17, with Sam McMillan co-coach of the senior sides.
On the field, the club will be boasting a new look courtesy of new one-day uniforms from Gippsland Cricket Supplies.
Bunyip also thanked Glenn Vandeligt for his dedication to the club, and the leadership he has shown over the last couple of years – with the club hopeful of a return in future seasons.
Goals: “Bunyip CC hopes to retain our junior strength, as both sides made the finals last year. The senior group has reduced to two teams (Divisions 2 and 4), and are confident out performances will lift, with a young side in Division 2 seeing lots of excitement at the club and endless possibilities for players looking to establish senior positions” – Tyler McMillan.
Prediction: Season 2015/16 was a dismal summer for the Bulls, finishing bottom of the table in all senior divisions.
Much-needed depth has been added to the Bunyip squad through their off-season recruiting, and they will also be looking to further develop their youngsters – who have tasted success at junior level in the last two seasons.
The drop down to Division 2 will help them to be more competitive, and they will be hopeful of matching it with the top sides.
However, at this stage a finals appearance appears just beyond their grasp.
Drouin
Last season: Division 1 – Semi Finalists, Division 2 – Semi Finalists, Division 3 – Semi Finalists, Division 4 – 5th, Division 5 – Semi Finalists, Division 6 – Premiers
Key recruits: The Hawks have added one of the highest profiled signings in the WDCA to their playing list this summer, with Luke Radford joining Drouin.
Bringing with him a vast array of experience in top level cricket within the English system, and also boasting two season in South Africa on his resume, Radford is an opening bowler and top order batsmen who is set to be one of the club’s most valuable players in season 2016/17.
David Sharpe has also returned to the club to help mentor the next crop of players.
Departures: Jordan Wyatt has returned to Casey in the premier cricket competition, with youngster Harry Wans joining him there. Daniel Glover has left to play at Catani, while Dan Clebney and James McKellar have joined Bunyip for the upcoming season.
Club news: Trevor Gardiner has been appointed as senior coach, with second-year player Damon Healy named as an assistant. Luke Radford rounds out the leadership group through his role as a high performance coach at the club.
Kym Osseweyer has been announced as club president, with Wade Crawford (secretary) and Steve Austen (treasurer) supporting him.
Goals: “After having five out of our six senior teams reach the finals, but only Division 6 reaching the Grand Final and winning the premiership, the club knows there is plenty of unfinished business. The club is looking to put themselves in a similar position this season and win more finals. The recruitment of Luke to the club is very exciting, he will not only be a key asset on the field, but just as crucial off the field with the development of our younger players. Our core group is still hungry for success, and with a mix of youth and experience be hope to be competing come the important time of the year” – Trevor Gardiner.
Prediction: Drouin have one of the deepest playing lists in the WDCA, with squads in all six divisions. Last summer saw them take advantage of that fact, with five out of their six teams making finals.
Iona
Last season: Division 3 – 5th, Division 6 – 5th
Prediction: As one of the smallest clubs in the WDCA, Iona has struggled to make a mark in the higher divisions of the competition in recent years, and the Swamp Tigers will no doubt be keen to show they are a club on the rise this summer.
They missed out on a finals berth by just three points in 2015/16, and had some thumping wins over the course of the season.
Much is unknown about the make-up of their playing squad this summer, but if the likes of Alex Gaudion, Mick Taylor, and Luke Ferguson are about and firing they will always be a tough opponent.
Warragul
Last season: Division 2 – 6th, Division 4 – 8th
Club news: Josh Wright has been announced as captain-coach for a third successive season.
Andrew Best has stepped down from his role as club president, and has been thanked for his hard work in previous years.
Paul Kennedy takes over his role, with Kerrie Wright (secretary) and Toby Shelton (treasurer) rounding out the committee.
Prediction: It has been a tough few seasons for Warragul, although last year saw the club make steps towards again being a force in the higher divisions, with a number of hard-fought wins seeing them make it sixth on the Division 2 table.
At this stage nothing is known about the makeup of the playing list, but if they can continue to develop and build their playing list they should be confident of matching last season’s win tally and being in the mix late in the summer for a finals spot.
Longwarry
Last season: Division 2 – Runner-Up, Division 4 - Premiers, Division 5 – Semi Finalists, Division 6 – Semi-Finalists
Key recruits: Darren Pattinson will return to the club in some form this season, basing his involvement around work commitments.
Goals: “The club has been able to keep together the majority of last year’s successful Division 2 team, and through continued development of youth are hoping to have a great year back in Division 1. The club would like to take the opportunity to congratulate Jonah Serong on his U17 Victoria Country selection. Off the field, there is much stability on the executive, and the club has an extremely positive outlook on the season. Longwarry CC would also like to thank their valuable sponsors, especially the Drouin and District Community Bank.”
Prediction: After going through the season unbeaten, Longwarry suffered one of the biggest upset defeats in WDCA history in the grand final, going down to Western Park.
However, despite the loss the Crows have made the move up to division one, and will no doubt immediately make an impact.
Their squad – especially with the bat – are strong and capable of posting massive scores and demoralising their opposition. The likes of Tom Keily, Sam Pullen, and Troy Lehman will lead the charge, and are predicted to see Longwarry challenge strongly for the finals.
In the lower grades Longwarry will again be a force, with their impressive depth to no doubt continue to see them push deep into finals.
Next week - Jindivick, Neerim District, Western Park, Yarragon, Hallora, Garfield-Tynong