Cricket Southern Bayside: Beaumaris hands captaincy to leg spinner Cameron Watts

Beaumaris has had a change of captain and regained two more bowlers for the Cricket Southern Bayside 2021-22 season.

The baton of leadership has been passed at Beaumaris.

Sam Coates has relinquished the captaincy after four years in the role, handing the reins to leg-spinner Cameron Watts.

Watts has taken 56 wickets for the Sharks in the past three season since joining the club from Melbourne.

Paceman Ben Earney, back from St Kilda, will be vice-captain.

Coates endorsed the pair, saying Watts was the perfect choice to steer the ship.

“He will be outstanding,” he said.

“Everybody loves him, he has a good tactical brain, really passionate and willing to put time into the role.”

Sharks leggie Cam Watts in action.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Coates is playing on after his golden summer, in which he was crowned the Championship Division MVP after hitting 707 runs at 58.9, including successive centuries.

“I’ll still be doing my thing behind the scenes but my job is more to help him (Watts) in any way, be a bit of a safety net to a degree,” he said.

“And also I’m not going to be around Monday to Friday as what I could be with three young kids, and I just felt the role deserved more than that, especially midweek.

“I’ve done it for four years and the boys probably needed a slightly different message and voice and Cam’s ready to go.

“He’s the best leg-spinner in the comp by a long way so he’s ready to take that next level of responsibility I think.”

Tom Mellick is back at Beaumaris. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Coates hoped Watts and Earney would lead Beaumaris for many seasons to come.

“We’ve got two guys who’ve played a lot of cricket and who are in that 24 age bracket and they’re ready to take leadership responsibilities,’’ he said.

Coates said he and club coach Chris Hall would be there to lend a hand while Watts and Earney were bowling in games.

“I was very lucky when I became captain of Prahran I had previous captains in the team and I found that really helpful,’’ Coates said.

“With Funky (James Miller) leaving and me and Hally not getting any younger, it’s good to transition.

“These guys will be our leaders for probably the next six, seven, eight years so let’s get them going.”

Premier Cricket Ryder Medal champion James Miller is travelling around Australia with his family and is expected back about halfway through the season. He’s told the club that if he plays, it will be with Beaumaris.

Beaumaris has also regained bowlers Tom Mellick and James Grant.

Mellick was the Sharks opening bowler before missing last season dure to Navy duties, while Grant played in Beaumaris’ semi-final two years ago before moving to Sydney.