Dermott Brereton hammers 96 in eye-popping return to the crease with Heatherhill fourths

HE hasn’t played for more than 20 years, but former AFL champ Dermott Brereton almost posted a century in club cricket yesterday, despite batting at No.9.

Dermie dazzles in cricket comeback

IT seems Dermott Brereton is taking his cricket comeback seriously.

The former footy champ made a hard-hitting 96 for Heatherhill’s fourths against Moorooduc at Baxter Park on Saturday.

It was his first game in more than two decades — he last played in 1992-93 with the now defunct Frankston Bombers cricket side — and he certainly enjoyed himself, blazing boundaries before being caught on the fence “going for glory’’ according to his skipper and good mate David “Bucky’’ Glennie.

Despite his efforts, Heatherhill lost; dismissed for 204 in reply to 258.

So keen is Derm to make a go of cricket that he recently purchased a new bat, gloves, pads, thigh pad, whites and a “f...... big bag” (his words) to put it all in.

“He intends playing many more games with us,” Glennie said.

“Dermott trained with the boys last week and while a touch rusty the natural skills shone through.”

Glennie said Dermott played a lot of cricket as a junior at Heatherhill and was a talented all rounder before his footy commitments took over.