MPCA: Pines picks up big-hitting batter Kane Hawkins

Pines’ MPCA Provincial title hopes have been boosted with the late addition of a six-hitting batter with freakish talent.

Kane Hawkins has joined Pines. Picture: Facebook

An opening batter with a reputation for smashing massive sixes has signed with Pines in Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association’s Provincial division.

Former Flinders dasher Kane Hawkins was cleared to the Piners and will line-up in their Round 5 clash with Sorrento at Pat Rollo Reserve on Saturday.

Pines captain Ricky Ramsdale confirmed Hawkins would open the batting with fellow master blaster Nick “Chico” Christides, setting up a possible fireworks display of big hitting.

“We’re going to open him and Chico — the double fire. The double cobra,” Ramsdale said.

“He’s another dynamic batsman, great fielder, can bowl a little bit too.”

Pines star Patrick Jackson.

Star all-rounder Billy Humphrey. Pictures: Valeriu Campan

Hawkins, 23, has unleashed some incredible power-hitting displays in recent seasons and isn’t afraid to hit the first ball of a game for six.

After blasting 82 from 21 balls — including 11 sixes — in a game with Flinders in 2000, his teammate at the time Dwayne Field said: “He’s really unorthodox and hits the ball to funny parts of the ground...He hits straight, and doesn’t even follow through, he like punches the ball, he just sort of bunts it and they go. He was hitting sixes that were a couple of metres off the ground.’’

Ramsdale said Pines were also trying to convince their former league medalist Damien Lawrence to return this season. He’s played with Western Park in the Warragul comp the past two seasons but isn’t playing at all this season.

Pines have won three of their first four matches, including wins over last season’s grand finalists Old Peninsula and Langwarrin in the past two weeks.

Ramsdale, Patrick Jackson, Billy Humphrey and Harley Peace-Stirling have been in splendid form.