Bushies Jesse Barker, Cormac Hassett link with Dandenong
After strong performances in country cricket, Jesse Barker from Kyabram Fire Brigade and Cormac Hassett from Stratford are trying their luck in Premier Cricket next season.
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Dandenong has seen it a lot over the years, players from the country coming to town and doing well in Premier Cricket.
Ian Harvey and Tim Hooper emerged from South Gippsland. Peter Siddle from central Gippsland. Cameron White from east Gippsland. Dave Newman from north central Victoria.
No one is suggesting the Panthers’ latest newbies from the bush, Jesse Barker and Cormack Hassett, will match the achievements of those players, but their records in strong competitions suggest they will be good recruits in 2020-21.
Barker has joined the club from the Goulburn Murray association and Hassett from the Sale-Maffra competition.
Both were recommended to Panthers coach Warren Ayres, Barker by Dandenong premiership player Newman and Hassett by Taylor Tatterson.
Newman, back at Dandy as an assistant coach, was for a long time a leading player at Kyabram Fire Brigade Cricket Club.
Barker joined the Flames last season and was part of their premiership team.
Batting in the top-order, he made 546 runs at 39, with one century.
He’d previously been with Tocumwal.
“He’s 21 and he’s got some good numbers him,’’ Ayres said of Barker.
“I’d be hoping he’s going to be a pretty good player. In saying that he’s going to have to battle the travel from Kyabram — he does have a relative living down this way where he can stay, so that will help. But he wants to have a crack at it and see how he goes.’’
Hassett, 25, is from the Stratford club and is a batsman-wicketkeeper who for the past few years has also played club cricket in the UK.
A Sale-Maffa representative player, he’s cracked two First XI centuries. Last season he made 444 runs for his club and another 131 for the association.
A change of jobs recently brought about his move to Warragul and encouraged to try Premier level.
“He’s another one who has got some pedigree about him,’’ Ayres said.
“We don’t know how it’s going to pan out but he’s obviously got a fair bit of talent.’’
The Panthers also landed tall Monbulk fast bowler Braden Taeuber.
The 20-year-old snared 26 wickets at 16.23 in the Ferntree Gully association last season and also played for the VCCL Under 21 team.
In the previous season Taeuber took 23 wickets and hit 337 runs and was named the association’s best Under 21 player, receiving the Bob Parish Medal.
Taeuber is one of four pace bowlers added to the books at Dandy, joining Adam McMaster (returning from Melbourne), Jack Fowler (Kingston Hawthorn) and James Maxwell (Casey South Melbourne).