All the ins and outs ahead of the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association season

A Test player from the 1990s is one of many new cricketers to arrive in the Bellarine ahead of the looming season, while a former AFL midfielder could pull on the whites.

Henry and Will Collins have signed as coaches of Inverleigh Cricket Club. Picture: Alan Barber

An ex-Test cricketer headline a host of ins and outs ahead of the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association season.

Barwon Heads has appointed former national representative, Steph Theodore, as captain and coach of its women’s program.

Theodore played for the country against New Zealand in 1995.

Meanwhile, former Hawthorn midfielder Teia Miles, who starred for Portarlington during the BFNL season, was unveiled as a recruit by St Leonards ahead of its A2 campaign.

The BPCA season starts on October 5.

However, Miles’ exact availability remains unclear after breaking his arm in the second last round of the season against Torquay.

Miles, who is friends with Barwon Heads spinner Sam Schaller – and almost talked him into playing the 2024 BFNL season at Howard Harmer Oval – actually turned out for the Seagulls in December, 2019, scoring 25 runs against Anglesea.

In A1, last year’s grand finalist Anglesea, who fell at the final hurdle to win five consecutive premierships, will be without Darcy Elliott and Steve Nicholson in 2024-25.

Barwon Heads spinner Dan Donaldson bowls against Armstrong Creek in January. Picture: Alan Barber

Meanwhile, Daniel Donaldson takes over the reins as head coach of reigning premier Barwon Heads from Ben Harris.

Donaldson was the leading bowler in A1 last summer as the Seagulls beat the Roos by 61 runs in the decider.

Donaldson and fellow spinner Sam Schaller (5-48) would take eight of the wickets to fall as Barwon Heads aced its promotion to A1 after an A2 flag in 22-23.

Schaller, who coaches the Seagulls in the BFNL, is not expected to have the same level of playing commitment this summer.

Stephanie Theodore batting for Victoria against NSW in January, 1997.

Drysdale coach and opening batter Rob Cutajar has stepped down after the Hawks won the grand final by eight wickets over Collendina due to interstate work commitments.

Cutajar, who made an unbeaten 92 in the 2023-24 decider as the Hawks chased down 178 for victory, has stepped down due to interstate work commitments.

Former Alexander Thomson and Portarlington assistant Luke Veitenheimer will take over from Cutajar.

All the ins and outs ahead of the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association season

A1

Barwon Heads

INS:

Steph Theodore (Essendon Maribyrnong Park).

Stephanie Theodore was selected in the Australian indoor cricket women's team to compete at the Masters World Cup in October, 2010.

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

Men’s senior coach: Daniel Donaldson

Women’s senior coach and captain: Steph Theodore

Anglesea

INS:

Tom Beasley (Marshall), Michael Thornton (Ocean Grove), Kylie Hutchinson

(Queenscliff), Jack Robinson (Geelong Grammar).

Michael Thornton has signed with Anglesea Cricket Club. Picture: Anglesea Cricket Club.

OUTS:

Darcy Elliott (Highton), Steve Nicholson.

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coach: Bryan Thomas

Men’s senior captain: Dylan Taylor

Women’s senior captain: Janet Lister

Barrabool

OUTS:

Ed Morrison

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coaches: James Fisher and Michael Kelson

Men’s senior captain: Michael Kelson

Women’s senior captain: Vicki King

Armstrong Creek

INS:

Ben Norgrove (Shipton-Under-Wychwood), Ben Robertson.

Ben Norgrove has signed with the Titans. Picture: Armstrong Creek Cricket Club.

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coach and captain: Daniel Maclean

Ben Robertson has signed with Armstrong Creek Cricket Club. Picture: Armstrong Creek Cricket Club.

Women’s senior coaches: Troy Smith and Adam Trevean

Queenscliff

Jordan Aldrich has signed with Queenscliff Cricket Club. Picture: Queenscliff Cricket Club.

INS:

Jordan Aldrich (Lethbridge), Lochie Philp (Leopold).

Lochie Philp has signed with Queenscliff Cricket Club. Picture: Queenscliff Cricket Club.

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coach and captain: Hayden Illingworth

Ocean Grove

INS:

Zac Jones (UK), Dave Bullock.

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coach: Dave Bullock

Men’s senior captain: Fletcher Long

Jan Juc

INS:

Peter Buszard, Jake Hewitt, Alex Rowden, Joel Powers, Brody Andrew

OUTS:

Tom Kearney (retired)

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coach and captain: Nick Hyden

Drysdale

INS:

Luke Veitenheimer (Portarlington), Jack Wilkinson (Heworth, Yorkshire).

OUTS:

Andrew Spengler (Little River), Lochie Wilson (Highton), Cameron Chisholm, Rob Cutajar (retired).

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coach: Luke Veitenheimer

Men’s senior captain: Nick Hallam

A2

Inverleigh

Henry and Will Collins have signed as coaches of Inverleigh Cricket Club. They played all their cricket at Geelong City but are returning to their roots. Picture: Alan Barber

INS:

Will and Henry Collins (Geelong City), Sam Haygarth (returning).

OUTS:

Tom Grimes (Geelong City), Cameron Sewell (East Belmont), Mason Dickson (year off).

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coaches: Will and Henry Collins.

Men’s senior captain: Henry Collins

Collendina

INS:

Jacob Gasior, Baxter Stephenson, Craig Goodger, Oscar Irwin.

OUTS:

Ben Ricardo

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coach and captain: Nathan Frye

Corey Walter returned to Collendina in 2023-24.

Portarlington

INS:

Jackson McGrath (Grovedale)

OUTS:

Luke Veitenheimer (Drysdale)

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coaches: Matthew Long, Cameron Gourley

Women’s senior coaches: Adam Shawcross, Dean Deluca.

St Leonards

INS:

Jacob Rees (Ilkley, UK), Will Stovell (UK), Diptagni Ganguly, Teia Miles, Lachie Campbell (returning), Paul Hassan.

Teia Miles is planning to play cricket for St Leonards. Picture: St Leonards Cricket Club.

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coach: James Burns

Winchelsea

INS:

Mitch Buhrmann (returning), Campbell Hose (returning), Ethan Salt (Salesbury, UK).

Shane Murdoch. Picture: Mark Wilson

OUTS:

Adam Korth (retired)

Men’s senior coach and captain: Shane Murdoch

Wallington

INS:

Billy Gravett, Adam Southorn, James Sood, Mitch Sleeman (Bell Post Hill), Connor Blackwell (South Barwon),

OUTS:

Shaun Biemans (South Barwon), Craig Hillgrove (Newcomb & District), Dan Williams, Adam Bovell.

LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE:

Men’s senior coach and captain: Matt Sampson-Barnes

Surf Coast Suns

INS:

Grant Haidlinger and Taj Haidlinger (Jan Juc), Vik Rathore (UK),

Men’s senior coach: Richard Dawes

Newcomb

INS:

Stuart Keys (St Albans Breakwater)

Originally published as All the ins and outs ahead of the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association season