Southern District looks for improvement this Grade Cricket season

SOUTHERN  District is counting on improvement from within to climb Grade Cricket’s two-day ladder when the competition begins this month.

SOUTHERN   District is counting on improvement from within to climb Grade Cricket’s two-day competition ladder this season.

The Stingrays will enter the 2014/15 campaign, starting next month, with a near identical squad to the one that finished eighth last summer.

They have not added or gained any A-grade players to date but coach Mal Condon said that boded well for a more than competitive season.

“We’ve been able to hold all of our players, which is a good thing,” Condon said.

“It’s pretty much the same squad.

“We’re such a young crew, our better players have really taken a step up.

“We really want to be playing the last round either in finals or a chance of playing finals.”

Condon said his club needed to improve through the lower grades to add depth.

While Southern’s A grade was competitive last season, its B, C and D grades won just four games between them.

Off-spinner Tom Joraslafsky (27 wickets at 20.63 last season) will again lead the bowling attack, while Brendan McCormack (425 runs at 32.69 last season) looms as their key batsman.

“Tom’s very much your old-school spinner because he’s not your bounce, rip and turn type,” Condon said.

“He’s got good, subtle variations and is very hard to pick ... and I reckon there’s a bit of Tim May in him.”

Condon said the club was hoping to lure back English paceman Lewis Hatchett, but that was up in the air while he negotiated his first-class contract with Sussex.

The Stingrays open their season with a 50-over match for one-day and two-day competition points against Sturt at Price Memorial Oval on October 18.