MPCA District division ins, outs, key players for every club
Ahead of the Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association season’s opening round, here are the ins, outs and key players for all District division clubs — and who are the top contenders.
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Cricket season hits off on the Mornington Peninsula next week.
The District division looks like being hotly contested, with Carrum Downs, Crib Point, Balnarring and Carrum to be among the contenders.
We analyse all the off-season news and squad changes ahead of a big summer.
BALNARRING
Captain-coach: Luke Hewitt
Ins: Ben King (French Island), Josh Peet (Boneo), Tom Peet (Boneo)
Out: nil
Key players: Luke Hewitt, Ben King, Charlie Robinson-Cay, Mark Walles, Jake Hewitt, Jackson Hannah, Justin Brown
Snapshot: The Saints look set to be a leading contender, with Ben King (owner of the MPCA highest ever score, 321no), returning to boost the batting and bowling ranks. The Peet brothers from Boneo are also key arrivals. Luke Hewitt peeled off three centuries last season and will lead from the front.
BAXTER
Coach: Simon Dignan
Captain: Todd Quinn
Ins: Priyantha Kumara (Blackburn South), Tom Carlyle (Officer), Mitch Rossborough (AYC Harlequins), Hayden Brittain (Langwarrin), Matthew Wright (UK recruit, played at Golden Square last season), Chamika Sattambi (returns from Darley)
Out: Cam Dinger (Carrum Downs), Josh Dinger (Carrum Downs)
Key players: Todd Quinn, Leigh Stewart, Priyantha Kumara, Chamika Sattambi, Simon Dignan
Snapshot: After successive wooden spoons, Baxter is looking to rebuild. MPCA champion Simon Dignan has taken over as coach and will look to instill a winning culture. Leading players Dana Fernando and Mandadige Fernando look unlikely to play.
BONEO
Head coach: Caolan O’Connor
Technical coach: David McClean
Captain: Jack Beale
Ins: Cam Peirce (Tootgarook), Jack Dowling (Tootgarook), Anthony Bos (Tootgarook), Saden Abeygunawardana
Outs: Josh Peet (Balnarring), Tom Peet (Boneo), Sean Garner (Rosebud)
Key players: Samson Storey, Dilasri Lokubandara, Jack Beale, Chris Jobling, Cam Williams, Caolan O’Connor, Jarvis Andersen, Ryan Jellie
Snapshot: After winning its second-ever First XI flag last season, Boneo steps into District division. Caolan O’Connor takes over as coach and the Pandas have retained key players, including leading batsmen Samson Storey and Dilasri Lokubandara.
CARRUM
Coach: Bart Hudgson
Captain: Shaun Foster
Ins: Corey Hand (returning), Max LeFevre, Sam Ridgway
Out: nil
Key players: Liam Hulett, Jake D’Atri, Shaun Foster, Josh Dent, Riley Johnston, Corey Foster, Gus Kennedy, Billy Thomson, Dylan Ridgway
Snapshot: After losing to eventual premiers Seaford in a semi-final last season, the Lions will be hungry for success. Shaun Foster takes ovr as captain, while former club junior Max LeFevre is back from Queensland to take the wicketkeeping gloves in the ones. More depth.
CARRUM DOWNS
Coach: Jum Quarmby
Assistant coach: Michael O’Driscoll
Captain: Gordon Waterfall
Ins: Cam Dinger (Baxter), Josh Dinger (Baxter), Anthony Salomon (Noble Park)
Out: nil
Key players: Gordon Waterfall, Rob Johnston, Cam Dinger, Josh Dinger, Brad Lockhart, James Quarmby, James Abbotts, Jordan Watters, Ryan Lynch
Snapshot: Leading batsman Gordon Waterfall takes over as captain and he will lead a strong side desperate to win an elusive flag after going close in recent seasons. Rob Johnston will look to replicate his superb ‘23-24 campaign (466 runs and 17 wickets), while Jum Quarmby showed his class with an unbeaten century in the semi-final last season.
CRIB POINT
Captain-coach: Blake Hogan-Keogh
Ins: Jake Mialitsis (Tyabb), Jack Knight (Seaford)
Out: Neil Clark, Blaze Rosinski (WA)
Key players: Blake Hogan-Keogh, Matt Blake, Spencer Wilton, Angus Cripps, Brad Davidson, Andrew Sharp
Snapshot: The pain of grand final defeat will spur on the Magpies, who will again rely on two-time Betts medallist Matt Blake (494 runs and 41 wickets last season) and Blake Hogan-Keogh (668 runs).
FLINDERS
Captain-coach: Liam Wolters
In: Dan Hille (Heatherhill), Josh Gawthrope (Southern Districts, NT)
Out: Mac Henderson (Dromana)
Key players: Liam Wolters, Jack Field, Tom Pengelly, Mason Mail, Sam Field, Luke Reynolds, Jarryd Lymer
Snapshot: Liam Wolters will lead a Sharks side capable of mixing it with the leading sides. Opening bat Jack Field will play the first four games and then go overseas, while Matt Gale is likely to play “half the games’’.
MAIN RIDGE
Coach: Jason Albress
Captain: Scott Murray
In: Praveen Fernando (Footscray United)
Out: Ryan Harrison (Mt Martha), Charlie Nunn (staying in UK), Harry Nunn (staying in UK)
Key players: Praveen Fernando, Scott Murray, Sam McWilliams, Jacob McWilliams, James Abbott, Sam Lyons
Snapshot: Jason Albress, after guiding Boneo to a premiership, returns to the Cougars as coach. Sri Lankan first-class batsman Praveen Fernando is an exciting addition; at 29, he’s a hard-hitting left-hander who will relish the small boundaries at Ditterich Reserve. Tommy Finn is to undergo knee surgery and will be sidelined. Ex-St Kilda keeper Scott Murray will skipper the Cougars, with Jacob McWilliams vice-captain.
ROUND 1, Saturday, October 5: Carrum Downs v Carrum, Balnarring v Flinders, Boneo v Baxter, Main Ridge v Crib Point.
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