Doutta Stars secure Sri Lanka high performance coach to lead flag charge

VTCA Senior Division grand finalist Doutta Stars hopes a former Sri Lanka high performance and Premier Cricket coach can help it break its flag drought.

Brendan Ward in action for Doutta Stars. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Doutta Stars decided to install a non-playing coach for 2021-22, securing the services of former Janaka Deegodagamage.

The former Plenty Valley Premier Women’s coach and Sri Lanka high performance coach takes the reins from Hamish Moore, who stepped down as coach and First XI captain.

Deegodagamage has previously worked with Tom Moody and Trevor Bayliss, holds an ICC Level 3 coaching certificate and led Taylors Lakes to VSDCA finals in 2016-17.

The new coach will have a multi-layered role at Buckley Park.

He not only hopes to lead the club to a VTCA Senior Division premiership but will also concentrate on developing the Stars’ young players and next generation of coaches.

Having received glowing recommendations of Doutta Stars and the VTCA, Deegodagamage was looking forward to getting stuck in.

“I thought it was a new challenge, they’ve got a young group of players and don’t rely on many outside players, they try to develop their own talent,” he said.

“I’ve heard about Brenton Parchment and Hamish Moore and how good they are, making 500-plus runs.

“The players I’ve worked with, former Sri Lankans, say that the VTCA is really competitive cricket.

“They rank it close to second after Premier Cricket, very similar to Subbies and you can’t tell what’s number two.

“I’m looking forward to also passing on my experience to the youngsters, that’s what the club is thinking about.

“They’ve almost got a premiership in the last couple of years but at the same time they want to develop their youngsters and have a good future, good foundation.”

Doutta Stars have come agonisingly close to a drought-breaking Senior Division premiership.

The club lost grand finals in 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2020-21, while it finished minor premier in 2019-20 but lost its semi-final.

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The Stars are well served by Moore and Parchment, who both finished top-10 on the competition’s run-scorers’ charts last season, while Patrick Willach was a top-10 wicket-taker.

Moore and Willach were both named in the Senior Division Team of the Year.

Former Premier Cricket wicketkeeper Jayden Borg will take over the First XI captaincy from Moore.

Deegodagamage hoped he could bring a little of his own luck to his new club.

“I want to help the club achieve a premiership … back in Sri Lanka I have a good history of winning championships,” he said.