Cricket Southern Bayside: How Championship Division clubs are shaping up for 2024-25

We examine who’s recruited well, unveil new coaches, captaincy changes and departures in Cricket Southern Bayside’s Championship Division.

Dane Heverin of Mentone goes bang. He will again skipper the Tigers. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

It’s only a bit over four weeks until the first ball of the 2024-25 Cricket Southern Bayside season is bowled.

Clubs in Championship Division have been busy over winter, recruiting and making coaching and captaincy appointments.

Here’s a look at how clubs are shaping up:

BEAUMARIS

Fresh off his first-class debut, Yorkshire’s Noah Kelly has joined Beaumaris. Picture: Supplied

Beaumaris has a new coach, captain and recruited a young English first-class keeper/opening batter.

Former Sharks premiership player Steve Mellick has taken the coaching reins, replacing Sam Coates, who has retired.

Star batter Adam Bull will skipper Beaumaris after recovering from a ruptured bicep tendon sustained while playing last season.

Yorkshire’s Noah Kelly is an exciting inclusion; he will take the gloves and make an impact with the bat. He’s coming off a 2000-run season in the UK and made his first-class debut last month.

Kelly’s addition will help cover the loss of Coates and English star Ian Cockbain, who’s not coming back out. The all-season availability of Bull and Nick Ritchie, who both missed games last season, will be like new recruits.

Nick Ritchie batting for Beaumaris. Picture: Valeriu Campan

BENTLEIGH

Last season’s grand finalists Bentleigh has lured South Caulfield premiership coach Jason Jacoby across to lead its young crop of players.

“They made a call, we had a couple of chats...I’m really looking forward to it, they’re a very good club,’’ Jacoby said.

Jacoby said Bentleigh was hungry to have success.

“I really love what they’re doing off the field,’’ he said.

“They’ve got 17 junior teams which includes all abilities, five women’s teams, five men’s teams, 120 Woolies Blast (kids).

“They’ve got some talent, good kids coming through.’’

Brilliant batsman Ben Seabrook will again captain Bentleigh. He made 580 runs at 64 last season.

Bentleigh has secured several recruits, including left-arm paceman Jacob Apted, who played Premier Cricket in Queensland.

West Bentleigh bowling all-rounder Josh Murphy is another good addition; he’s a solid middle order bat and left-armer who swings the ball around.

Joe Vaughan, from Hampshire in England, is another recruit for Bentleigh. The fluent right-handed top order bat and talented leg spin bowler scored over 500 runs and took 28 wickets in season 2024.

Bentleigh senior players Jarrad Dowling and Matt Chasemore are said to be “still in discussions’’ about playing next season.

Tom Smith of Bonbeach bowls. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

BONBEACH

Casey South Melbourne paceman Cal Dodson will skipper the Sharks. A four-season stint in Premier Cricket has made him a fine player but, at 29, he felt it was the right time to return to local cricket.

Dodson will succeed Tom Smith, who has stepped down as skipper after seven seasons. Smith will continue to play while stepping into a co-coaching role with Gavin Fewkes.

Bonbeach won’t have Englishman George Darwood but the Sharks have picked up Ollie Morgan (UK) and Jonny Sadler (UK).

Michael Waller batting for Mentone. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

MENTONE

The Tigers have added in two Englishmen as their overseas players — Charlie Bourne and Michael Waller — while retaining all other players.

Mentone hasn’t had any overseas players since 2019-20 so the pair’s signings are exciting for the club.

Waller has played for Mentone twice before in 2016-17 and 2017-18. He plays for Tunbridge Wells in the Kent Premier League. He’s an all-rounder, a right-arm off spinner and right hand batsman. He’ll also be Mentone’s club coach.

Bourne is a right-arm seamer who plays for Treeton in the Yorkshire Premiership League. It’ll be his first time playing in Australia.

Mentone will again be captained by Dane Heverin.

MORDIALLOC

Springvale South premiership player and VSDCA’s Van Holten Award runner-up Yoshan Kumara has joined the Bloodhounds, boosting the bowling attack.

Nick Connellan is likely to captain the Bloodhounds again, and they’ve also retained Damith Mapa.

Lancashire fast bowler Harry Birkman, 19, is another good addition, while Mordi have lost Insaf Iqbal, who has joined rivals Murrumbeena, and Hugo Hammond, who will remain in the UK.

Insaf Iqbal of Mordialloc bowls. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

MURRUMBEENA

Rising to the top flight after winning the Division 1 premiership, the Beena will field a strong side. Mordialloc bowler Insaf Iqbal has joined the club after taking 101 wickets at 14 in four seasons with the Bloodhounds.

Dan Parkinson will again coach Murrumbeena, while key men Troy Ryan, Tej Gandhi, Will Kelly and Xav Ross will saddle up again.

SOUTH CAULFIELD

Former Victorian batsman Nick Jewell has taken over as coach at reigning premiers South Caulfield, with ex-St Kilda batsman Michael “Babs’’ De Iacovo joining the club as captain.

South has also boosted their ranks by gaining English players Ben Coddington and Alex Mason. They are expected to make an impact.

South Caulfield will field a similar side to last season, with the prolific Brad Erasmus (707 runs at 70) to lead the batting.

South could, though, be without premiership captain Will Russell for some games while he welcomes a new baby and also opening bat Tom Morris through work commitments.

ST BRIGID’S ST LOUIS

The Saints’ bowling has received a boost, with two English imports coming on board.

Matthew Sonczak, 26, played a first-class game for Derbyshire against the West Indies in 2017, dismissing Windies captain Jason Holder.

Sonczak captains his side back in the UK and is a hard-hitting batsman and impressive slow left-arm orthodox bowler.

They will also unleash powerful fast bowler Buzz Kemp from the UK. Hailing from Norwich, the right-armer will bring fire.