MPCA: Red Hill ‘just misses out’ on recruiting Matt Chasemore
Red Hill had a red-hot dip at recruiting a former Premier Cricket batting star, only to just miss out, but the Hillmen are not giving up on him.
South East
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Red Hill captain-coach Simon Dart remains hopeful of luring run machine Matt Chasemore to the Hill at some stage in the future.
Dart revealed Chasemore was the club’s number one recruiting target before he re-signed at Berwick.
“Matt Chasemore was definitely the one we were after and we just missed out on him,’’ Dart said.
“He has re-signed with Berwick and that’s good – keep going with that young group he’s got there.
“But we are hopeful we are his preferred club when he does make his choice down this way. He does live in Safety Beach…so we are hopeful that next year, or whenever it is, he joins our club.’’
Dart said the inclusion of Chasemore in the Red Hill top order would be “the icing on the cake’’ as the Hillmen return to MPCA Provincial.
“I’ve had plenty to do with him, played a lot against him and obviously from afar I’ve admired his skill set, at Dandenong, Frankston and St Kilda,’’ Dart said.
“He’s a very seasoned player and one that would complement our group because that’s what we are after, that extra bat who can make 400 to 600 runs a season. He’d be the icing on the cake.’’
Dart said Red Hill, after claiming the MPCA Peninsula flag last season, would field a similar side when it steps up to the flight in season 2020-21.
“We’re status quo at the moment, we’re going to back our group in,’’ he said.
“We can’t wait ‘till it begins mate.’’
It’s been 20 years since Red Hill has played in Provincial, and its return will correspond with its centenary season.
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.
Red Hill was to meet Somerville in the Peninsula grand final last season before the game was cancelled because of the coronavirus crisis.
The Hillmen were 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.
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