Premier Cricket 2018-19: New Prahran skipper Jake Hancock hungry to perform

JAKE Hancock is hungry to pile on the runs for Prahran this summer and stake his claim for a spot in Victoria’s state squad.

Jake Hancock will captain Prahran this summer. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

JAKE Hancock is hungry to pile on the runs for Prahran this summer and stake his claim for a spot in Victoria’s state squad.

The 26-year-old will captain the True Blues after returning to the Premier Cricket club following a two-year stint in Tasmania.

Hancock hammered 626 runs for Prahran in 2015-16, along with 500 Futures League runs for Victoria’s Second XI, and was rewarded with a two-year state contract.

While he only made five Sheffield Shield appearances, logging 75 runs from nine innings at 8.33, he is back at Toorak Park with invaluable knowledge and a point to prove.

“I’m always hungry. I’m a competitor, so I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to wear the navy blue,” Hancock said.

“I’m trying to just stay focused on what I can do to best prepare myself, so the results will take care of themselves if I can do everything I can to not only prepare myself but also prepare the team to be successful.

“I’m coming in fit and ready to perform.”

In 2011-12, Hancock logged 843 runs at 52.7 when he was at Carlton to put his name up in lights.

Tallies of 416 and 258 came in the next two seasons before he spent most of 2014-15 in the Second XI, responding with 709 runs at 64.5

He then crossed to Prahran, where he crunched two tons and stood tall in the Futures League in a summer to savour.

While his time at Tasmania was brief, he is well placed to lead the True Blues as they embark on a new era under coach and former Test batsman Julien Wiener.

Jake Hancock scored 626 runs for Prahran in 2015-16. Picture: Stuart Milligan

“It was definitely disappointing (to be cut), but it was a great experience to get the opportunity and to play first-class cricket was something I set as a long-term goal for probably a 10-15 year period,” Hancock said.

“To get the opportunity to play was just a dream come true and I learnt a lot as a person but also around my game.

“I’m just going to try and incorporate that the best that I can in my captaincy with Prahran.”

Prahran finished 13th last season, but Hancock is encouraged by the mix of experience and youth at its disposal.

He is set to open the batting with Adam Bull — the True Blues leading runscorer in 2017-18 — while the contributions of Shaun Miller and last season’s skipper Nathan McNally will also be vital to their team’s fortunes.

The availability of young guns Will Sutherland and Sam Grimwade could be limited given they are on Victoria’s contract list.

Wunderkind Sutherland will miss the remainder of the one-day domestic tournament after incurring an incomplete stress fracture in his back.

“We’re trying not to focus too much on what’s happened in the past at Prahran,” Hancock said.

“There’s a really good young core group of players and really good, old senior heads also.

“We’re just focusing on what we can do now to best prepare ourselves for the upcoming season.

“We’re positive about what we think we can achieve as a group, so we’re just excited.”

Hancock said his appointment as captain was “something I wasn’t expecting”.

“But when I had the conversation with Julien and with (head of cricket) Bryce (McGain) that was a possibility, I really sort of jumped at the opportunity,” he said.

“It’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time and it couldn’t have come at a better time I think. I’m just really grateful to be given the opportunity.”

Prahran is scheduled to face St Kilda away from home in Round 1 on October 6.