Hamilton turns the tide
For many years, the Yarragon Cricket Club found themselves struggling to make a mark in the Warragul and District Cricket Association, but a decade ago that narrative changed.
The club has held a special place in Daniel Hamilton’s heart since he began his career in the under 12 side. After progressing through to the under 16s, some senior players noticed the talent he possessed and were driving him towards senior cricket.
Experienced players John Allsop, Anthony Wilkes and Nick Mazza all took Hamilton under their wing and he joined them in Division 1 under the tutelage of captain Tony Kleevan.
At 19, Hamilton was given the opportunity to vice-captain the side and was also made assistant coach. It would only be a short apprenticeship though; he was appointed coach the next season.
He was young and hungry for success, but after missing the finals again, realised something needed to change. He sat down with president John Malacarne and outlined his vision for Yarragon. He wanted them to become a powerhouse and John was on board.
“He could see where I wanted to take the club, bringing some more professionalism to it, upping the training tempo, and recruiting players. The off field was working, but we needed a change on field,” Hamilton said.
The tide began to turn in the 2009/10 season when Hamilton was able to recruit some high-level players. Led by the inclusion of fast bowler Todd Mann, Yarragon added some talent that saw their team begin to thrive, not just as cricketers, but as mates.
The changes on field were beginning to pay off and Yarragon found themselves in the finals. It wasn’t an easy introduction, they were facing the powerhouse they hoped to one day become, Drouin.
Thanks to a Darien Mathews bowling masterclass that saw him claim seven wickets, they dismissed Drouin for 168. Then, the rain came in.
Yarragon knew they were a chance and Hamilton did everything he could to give his side the opportunity to win. With Sunday ruled a washout, Yarragon came back on the Monday public holiday ready to face up in a marathon three-day semi-final, using blowers on the pitch to dry it out. They weren’t going to leave the opportunity to make the grand final up to the weather gods.
A wet pitch and a flying Simon Gardiner put a halt to the Panthers run, bundled out for a lowly 27. Despite the disappointment, Hamilton knew his side was better for it and grew from the experience together.
“There was a lot of mateship in that team. It was fun to play and we were having a laugh with each other. We’d hang out after cricket and it really helped us come together that next year,” he said.
The side had recruited a couple of Sri Lankan players in the previous years, but they were still looking for that last player to propel the team to the pinnacle. He spoke with friend Lasitha Amarasooriya to find out if he knew of any other talented players who may want to come across from Sri Lanka and he just happened to have one, Gamini Kumara.
Kumara would become a game changer and the final piece of the puzzle for the Panther side in 2010/11. Immediately the club began the paperwork to bring him to Australia, which saw him arrive after Christmas.
“I remember we didn’t know how good he was, but that first day I picked him up in the morning and I gave him a couple of throw downs in the nets to see how he went. I then realised we had an absolute champion,” Hamilton said.
While it was all falling into place for the side, the 2010/11 season was riddled with washouts, but Hamilton said while they couldn’t play, they continued to stick together as a group, remaining at the club on the afternoons the rain tumbled down.
“When we got that side together, we were able to bring back Anthony Wilkes who had moved out of the area as well as Mitch Goodwin, it was a really good group, we got on well and we had a few characters on the team. We knew if we performed well we could definitely play finals,” he said.
Yarragon would go on to finish on top of the ladder, with six wins, seven draws and most importantly, just one loss.
Strike bowler Todd Mann had returned to the side after leaving earlier in the year and with Kumara becoming a force with the bat, they were brimming with confidence. However, Hamilton said a turning point was when they fell in the one-day final.
“Losing that to Warragul, it made us hungrier to win the two-day final but it did give us a reality check, we weren’t going to walk to the premiership. That loss I think helped us in the end,” he said.
Yarragon weren’t wanting to make the same mistake again and a Kumara led semi-final win over Western Park saw them make their first grand final in years against their old foe, Drouin.
Hamilton’s modus operandi throughout the season was to bowl first, his attack one of the best in the league at skittling teams for low scores. However, come finals, he decided on a different approach. He won the toss and sent his side in.
After a quick wicket, he was wondering if it may have been the right call and when Kumara clipped a ball through to the keeper, it was looking dire, but, a stroke of luck went Yarragon’s way. The umpire hadn’t heard the noise and fortunately, Kumara remained at the crease.
At 2/50 and needing a spark, Hamilton would join Kumara in the middle and play the innings of his life.
“I felt comfortable there that day, I was just ticking the scoreboard over. Batting with Gamini really took the pressure off me. I didn’t give them many chances that day,” he said.
As he glanced over towards the scoreboard, he could see a teammate counting his score, he was on 98.
“I got a single to take myself to 99. All the team was sitting under the veranda. I was on strike for the next over and hit another single and was able to run towards them to celebrate, not just my hundred, but more to show them that we were right in that contest and we could win it,” he said.
Hamilton finished on 123 and after a 100run partnership with Mann, Yarragon had set Drouin 262 to win.
Regular wickets saw Yarragon take control of the game, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Hamilton saw his players start to go down with cramp, reducing him to just one fast bowler and he called the name of veteran spinner John Allsop late in the day.
Allsop delivered, claiming the final two wickets as Yarragon broke their premiership drought against the very side Hamilton had set out to become three years earlier. He remembers the key moment in that grand final like it was yesterday.
“Getting Sharpe that day, he was the one we knew could take the game away from us. I remember he was starting to hit a few long sixes, so I moved Mitch Goodwin five metres back on the fence and sure enough, a few balls later Mitch took the catch. It really turned the game,” he said.
For the club, one that hadn’t tasted success it was a game changer and put the side in the spotlight for the first time.
“It was huge for the club. We were the cellar dwellers for a long time and the big powerhouses used to walk all over the little clubs. The whole town got involved to celebrate, they came to the club rooms and everyone who knew the club got involved, it was a real team effort and one we’ll remember for a long time,” he said.
Now, a decade on, the team is coming together once again to celebrate that momentous day, holding their premiership reunion this Saturday at the club.
For more information about the reunion, visit the Yarragon Cricket Club’s Facebook page.