Justin Baker returns to Buckley Park after success at VTCA powerhouse Yarraville Club

Justin Baker’s return to Buckley Park Cricket Club is a promise 20 years in the fulfilling with the Yarraville Club premiership winner to captain-coach his junior club in 2019-20.

Justin Baker celebrates a wicket.

Justin Baker’s return to Buckley Park Cricket Club is a promise 20 years in the fulfilling.

The Yarraville Club premiership winner will captain-coach his junior club in 2019-20 after calling time on his stellar Victorian Turf Cricket career.

“I played juniors there, 20 years ago, before I went off to play Premier at Essendon,” Baker said.

“I promised I’d come back and it’s taken a while being at Yarraville Club and having success, it was super hard to leave.”

The opening batsman notched 21 centuries in his time with Clubbers, including two this season.

New Buckley Park coach Justin Baker.

Baker coached Yarraville Club for the past two years after an earlier stint co-coaching the team for five years.

However, when the chance for the club to secure Trent Lawford popped up, Baker said it was time to move on.

“I was planning to back up there this year but the way things worked out … to open up the opportunity to get a Trent Lawford, which Yarraville did, which they’re stoked about.

“Also the state of Buckley Park are in, they’ve had a few people leave over the years, and everything just aligned itself.”

Buckley Park has agonisingly lost three of the past four grand finals in the North West Metro George Luscombe Shield.

REPORT: PASCOE VALE CENTRAL DENY BUCKLEY PARK

LEADER: GET YOUR LOCAL SPORT NEWS HERE

CLUBBERS: LAWFORD SIGNS FOR VTCA POWERHOUSE

Baker said there would be some changes this off-season as he looks to guide the club back to premiership success.

“We’ve got a few people looking to come back, there’s a few junior kids that I coached in 2003-04 that might come back,” he said.

“I’ll be feeling bloody old because they’re nearly 30 and I was coaching them in under-14s.

“There’ll be no walk up starts in the ones, I don’t care who you were or what you’ve done, and that includes myself if I’m not performing.

“Definitely with the ones — I think watching the grand final this year — there were a few areas they’ve got to work on.

“Probably fielding, some of that older brigade aren’t moving around the field as much, so it would be good to get some young guys in and be quicker in the field.

“If we can lengthen our batting line-up so we are batting right down to No.10 and 11 because in my experience that’s where a lot of games are won.”