MPCA 2020-21: Pearcedale plans fightback, announces coach and key recruits
After a rugged couple of seasons, Pearcedale Cricket Club is on the way back, appointing a favourite son and luring back key players.
South East
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Shayne Gillings has a diploma in management and he believes it will come in handy as he leads a Pearcedale rebuild next season.
The 35-year-old has been appointed captain-coach and will approach the role with one main goal.
“You’ve got to get the best out of who you are playing with,” he said.
“We will just focus on getting better.”
Gillings put his hand up to lead Pearcedale — the club he’s played at for most of his life — after watching the Dales lurch from thrashing to thrashing last season, and fall from Provincial to Peninsula to District grade in the past two years.
“Yeah, it was hard to watch,” he said.
It was only four years ago that Pearcedale swept into Provincial ranks for the first time in its 95-year history after back-to-back premiership triumphs.
But player departures took the wind out of the Dales sails.
Gillings believes the club can pick up the pieces and get motoring again.
“Look, there are so many positives and a lot of talent,’’ he said.
“We’ve just got to try and get the best out of that talent.
“Obviously it’s been a few lean years but I can see so many positives.’’
Pearcedale president Tim Dudgeon said the club searched outside for a new coach, without luck, before inviting Gillings to an interview.
“We thought we’d pick Gills’ brains because we knew he needed a new challenge and he’s been in the game a long time and he’s been successful,’’ Dudgeon said.
“And he came to us with a really compelling plan of what he wanted to do, how he wanted to go about it in terms of getting players to the club and just getting a bit of a successful culture back.”
Dudgeon has been nothing but impressed with Gillings’ attitude.
“He’s always been one of the boys, a bit of a lad…yeah,’’ Dudgeon said.
“He’s obviously been thinking about it and he came up with a really good blueprint for moving forward, so we thought why not give him the opportunity.
“He’s been nothing but impressive the way he’s gone about it. Like, he’s been badgering me saying what he’s doing – it’s fantastic.”
Since Gillings’ appointment, Pearcedale has announced key signings with Brad Trotter, Sam Frawley and Billy Kennedy returning to the club from Pines.
And Tooradin left-armer Luke Adams has also joined the Dales.
There’s also a chance former premiership captain Kaine Smith will make a comeback after a season off.
“I’m talking to him,’’ Gillings said.
“I’m not sure. I’ll lean towards yes. He’s a very smart cricketer and he has lots of leadership…’’
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The Gill factor is already having an effect at Pearcedale.