MPCA 2019-20: Red Hill secures promotion to Provincial
Red Hill Cricket Club’s return to Provincial ranks will correspond with its centenary season in 2020-21 after coach Simon Dart achieved a goal he set eight years ago.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Red Hill captain-coach Simon Dart says he and his men can’t wait to “sink our teeth” into MPCA Provincial ranks next season.
After a two decade absence, Red Hill will return to the top flight in its 100th year.
And Dart has made his intentions crystal clear.
“We’re not there to make up the numbers,” he said.
“We are there to really get our hands dirty and take on the best.
“We cannot wait to win a Provincial flag, I’ll put that on that table. That is something the club is really firm on.”
Former Victorian batsman Dart has guided Red Hill from the bottom to the top in a success-filled eight seasons in the MPCA.
He’s led the Hillmen to three premierships — in Sub District, District and Peninsula — and noted “they’ve all been different and unique in their own way”.
This season’s flag came courtesy of its top place finish after coronavirus prevented grand finals being played.
Red Hill was to meet Somerville, with Jayde Herrick, in the flag decider.
“I feel for Somerville,” Dart said.
“They had a fantastic year. And it would have been a cracking grand final to be honest. It’s not the way we would like to win them but we will take it.”
Red Hill was strong in all areas this season, particularly its bowling.
Jamie McCall had a career-best season with 28 wickets, including a five-wicket haul and two bags of four.
Glenn Collett, who stood aside as Red Hill’s captain-coach eight years ago to allow Dart to take over, nabbed 22 wickets, at 13, and his brother Tom took 20 scalps.
Spinners Brent Martin and Adam Slack applied plenty of pressure.
With the bat, Dart was again a run-machine, churning out 711 runs, at 71, and going past 5000 runs for the club.
Matt Merifield (312 runs), Luke Jackson (274), Riley Shaw (191), Mitch Darville (182) and Slack (176) played their roles.
Red Hill’s only two losses this season came before Christmas — in Round 3 to Somerville when it failed to defend 194, and to Main Ridge in Round 7 when it made 220 in reply to 230.
When Dart was appointed coach of Red Hill in 2012, he declared his goal was to “put Red Hill back on the map in the MPCA”.
He’s done it.
“It’s been a long journey,” Dart said.
“It’s been eight years in the making. We’ve tripped a few times, we’ve had a few learnings along the way but we’ve stayed on the track.”
Asked what Red Hill meant to him, Dart said: “Simple answer is family. It’s like an extended family down here.
“It’s that enjoyment, we have a lot of fun while working hard and that will continue.”
Dart said the Hillmen would take a similar line-up into Provincial next season.
“We just can’t wait to jump into a different experiences, different grounds and different opposition,” he said.
“From our end I don’t see anything changing. Maybe we will pick up a player here and there but it’s about keeping the group together. You know, we’re on a journey.”
Red Hill last competed in Provincial in 1999-2000.
It has never won a Provincial flag but it did play off in a grand final in 1994-95 when coached by former Test star Rodney Hogg.
The Hillmen spent a decade in Provincial, from 1988-89 to 1999-2000. During that time the club had some champion players such as Andrew Brown, Terry Doyle, Gary Martin, Peter Klauer and Damien Holmes.