Oakleigh, Caulfield to set the standard in south-east section of Subbies

A beefed-up Oakleigh and Caulfield are expected to set the pace in what shapes as a competitive south-east section of the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association. Here’s a club-by-club assessment.

A beefed-up Oakleigh and Caulfield are expected to set the pace in what shapes as a competitive south-east section of the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association.

South meets east to make up a strong section in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association season starting on Saturday.

Here’s a club-by-club assessment of how the teams shape up for Round 1.

BALWYN

Coach: Clinton Kennon

Captain: Lachie Fitzpatrick

Last season: 13th

In: Lachie Fitzpatrick (Monash Tigers/Richmond)

Out: George Drissell (home to England due to COVID-19)

Snapshot: The Tigers were left to rue a number of missed opportunities last season, having lost six matches by either “under 10 runs or a wicket here or there”, according to coach Clinton Kennon. He wants to see some youngsters take the next step this season, and will be looking to former Premier batsman Adi Narayana to lead the way with the bat after averaging 30 last season. Luca Gamble, Vihaan Narayana and Dom Greene are players Kennon is hoping can further cement themselves in the First XI. Off-spinner Lachie Fitzpatrick has returned to the club after two years at Premier level and will be a sure boost for the Tigers. He took 39 wickets across two seasons and brings a wealth of knowledge to the club’s younger brigade, having coached the Craig Shield side. Balwyn has managed to retain English import Harry Dixon but have lost fellow countryman and spin-bowling all-rounder George Drissel, who cannot return to Australia due to COVID-19 restrictions. Paceman Alex Young has retired. If they close the gap on the missed opportunities last season through improvement, the Tigers could be thereabouts. — Daniel Cencic

Bayswater recruit Paul Gloury.

BAYSWATER

Coach: Shane Gordon

Captain: John Salter Jr.

Last season: 10th

In: Paul Gloury (Box Hill), Quinton Hodgkinson (Lilydale), Reilly Griffiths (Johnson Park)

Out: Josh Hudson (Ringwood)

Snapshot: Enter a new era under the tutelage of coach Shane Gordon, who takes over from the outgoing Sean Flynn, who has returned to Ringwood in the head gig. Meanwhile Darryl Stranger has succeeded Rohan Pollard in the presidency. Former Box Hill captain and top-order batsman Paul Gloury headlines the on-field additions, and is earmarked to spearhead the batting while adding a wealth of experience to an otherwise youthful group. Gloury is joined by former Lilydale captain-coach and left-arm bowler/batsman Quinton Hodgkinson, who has decided to make the move to turf cricket, and wicketkeeper Reilly Griffiths has made the move down Scoresby Rd from Johnson Park. Stranger recently spoke of the club’s transition after waving goodbye to a host of experienced names in 2019-20, and is hopeful of filtering a few young guns into the top two grades from the club’s Under 15 Craig Shield-winning side from last year. Youth combined with experience sets up a promising season ahead, especially if Gloury can produce his best having regularly been around the 500-run mark. — Daniel Cencic

Somil Bandi won’t be part of Box Hill’s team this season.

BOX HILL

Coach: Richard Armstrong

Captain: Ryan Webster

Last season: 9th

In: Nil

Out: Somil Bandi (returned home to India), Ashish Mathew (Kingston Hawthorn)

Snapshot: Richard Armstrong will coach the club this season after landing the role in April following dual Caulfield premiership mentor Ryan Webster’s decision to stand down due to work and family commitments. Armstrong brings a wealth of experience from Premier level having been a long-serving member of the Ringwood coaching panel and previously coached St Andrews in the RDCA. Webster will serve in the captaincy role. The club has been quiet on the recruiting front, but has lost key batsmen Somil Bandi, who has returned to India, and Ashish Mathew, who has moved on to Premier Cricket with Kingston Hawthorn. Armstrong says he’s “comfortable going from within at the club”, looking to the younger crew this season in the absence of any big-name recruits. It was a case of small margins last season, losing four games by seven runs or less ultimately costing a finals berth – they’ll be hoping to see improvement here and Armstrong says the fielding should become the First XI’s strong point. — Daniel Cencic

Sam Hall-Kahan is back at Brighton.

BRIGHTON

Coach: Michael Nyary

Captain: Ricky Damiano

Last season: eighth

In: Robbie Salerni (Frankston Peninsula), Josh Drummond (St Kilda), Noah Severin (St Kilda), Sam Hall-Kahan (returning), Duncan McKenzie (returns).

Out: Nil

Snapshot: It’s still hard to believe Brighton missed the finals last season. Captain Ricky Damiano had the most golden of summers, peeling off four centuries and a home-and-away season best of 716 runs (a club record), but the Tonners dropped their last three matches and tumbled out of the top six. They look stronger for the inclusion of Robbie Salerni, another fine wicketkeeper-batsman with Premier Cricket experience; batsmen Josh Drummond and Noah Severin, both of whom should steady a sometimes shaky middle division; and returning quickie Sam Hall-Kahan, who will join the experienced Justin Butterfield, Cal Rayner and Luke Shimmin in the fast-bowling ranks. Leg-spinner Duncan McKenzie is back too. Brighton has been a disappointment in the past few seasons. In fact, it has made the finals only once in the past 20 years, poor going for such a historic and proud club. The Tonners should bat deep in the one-day format. They should bowl well. And they should make the finals. — Paul Amy

Caulfield quickie Lachie Graf.

CAULFIELD

Coach: Adrian Jones

Captain: Jacob Thorne

Last season: second

In: nil

Out: nil

Snapshot: The Fielders were disappointed when the VSDCA chose not to go with dual premiers after COVID-19 cut last season short by a week. But they’re well equipped to make it through to the last match again. They’ve got the great Graeme Rummans, last season’s Val Holten Medal winner. They’ve got four-time Holten champion Jacob Thorne. They’ve got hard-hitting David Tantsis-Hall. They’ve got quickies Andy King and Lachie Graf. They’ve got James Small behind the stumps. And they’ve got up-and-comers Jayden Banks and Josh Agar. There had been a doubt over the availability of two-time Jack Sheehan Medal star Dale Denny, who started the season at Newton & Chilwell in the Geelong association. But he confirmed his availability on Tuesday. Keep a watch on young Banks, who is filling out and rising fast. At age 49 coach Adrian Jones, the former St Kilda star, will captain the Second XI, happy to be in the field for the Fielders for only 40 overs. — Paul Amy

CROYDON

Coach: Tom McQuinn

Captain: Steve Wright

Last season: 14th

In: Nil

Out: Nil

Snapshot: Croydon will be led by incoming coach Tom McQuinn this season following his appointment to the role in August. The fast bowler takes over from Jason Wylie, who had stepped down from the role due to work commitments, but he’ll still be on hand to assist his successor. McQuinn says the club has kept its First XI intact and has overlooked recruiting this season in favour of developing its youth. It has earmarked names such as Max Bradley who impressed with the bat in the Second XI last season before a call-up to the firsts, alongside Brodie Harrison to take the next step. The added experience through the return of frontline bowler Chris Brown after missing half of last season through injury will be a significant in, as will the return of quickie Hamish Paterson. McQuinn says his team’s looking forward to the challenge of coming up against the clubs which have recruited heavily. — Daniel Cencic

ELSTERNWICK

Coach: Ben Cavey

Captain: Cam Christiansen

Last season: 11th

In: Jacob Kerr (Karramomus), Daniel Turton (Wonthaggi Workman’s Club)

Out: Andrew McGorian, Matt Shimmell, Jonny Charles, Fred McMillan

Snapshot: A new coach for Elsty, with the experienced Ben Cavey taking over from club great Cam Christiansen, who is playing on as captain. After storming into the grand final in 2018-19, Elsty slipped to 11th last season, with only Christiansen and Will Long going past 300 runs and Callum Sinclair and English spinner Jonny Charles topping the wicket tally with 16 apiece. In other words, too many players had too little influence. Pace pair Andrew McGorian and Matt Shimmell are taking the season off, but happily for Elsty they have picked up young quickie Jacob Kerr from the Shepparton association. A press report from two years ago detailing a 12-wicket bag in one match suggests he might be a handful. There is some good young talent at Elsternwick and there’s no reason it cannot push up the ladder again. — Paul Amy

Chris Pereira has returned to Endeavour Hills.

ENDEAVOUR HILLS

Coach: Nick Bole-Brown

Captain: Chris Pereira

Last season: 11th

In: Chris Pereira, Austin Heldt, Navodh Fernando, Charith Dahanayake, Danish Khokhal, Shannon Rozario

Out: Brian Kulasena, Vinu Mohotty, Manav Malik, Mohsin Rasheed

Snapshot: Just as Moorabbin conjured a feel-good script for last season, so did the Hills as they surged to the Twenty20 title, probably their greatest time in Subbies. They’ve farewelled coach Brian Kulasena, who has crossed to McKinnon, and overseas pair Manav Malik and Mohsin Rasheed because of COVID-19. But they’ve welcomed back their former captain and opening bowler Chris Pereira, and welcomed North Dandenong opening batsman Austin Heldt (a prominent representative player with the Southern Pioneers) and wicketkeeper Navodh Fernando. The apparently ageless Richard Saniga is going on – of course he is – and his Australian Over 50s teammate Nick Bole-Brown is the new club coach. Bole-Brown has been around cricket a long time and will miss few tricks. The Hills can’t be bracketed with the top teams but there’s enough ability at the Pargeter Reserve for a respectable finish. — Paul Amy

Michael Beer bowling for Melbourne Stars.

MALVERN

Coach: Chris McCormick

Captain: Luke Walker

Last season: Ninth

In: Michael Beer

Out: nil

Snapshot: It’s not every day a Sub-District club can welcome a Test player to its team. But the Roosters could when Michael Beer returned to the City Oval after calling time on Premier Cricket. Malvern had sent Beer on his way when he was a promising young left-arm spinner, and he ascended to the highest level. Now he’s back at the age of 36 and committing for three years. He’ll take a lot of wickets, he’ll enliven the Subbies scene and he may even lead the Roosters back to the finals. Class batsman Luke Walker remains as captain and his former Frankston Peninsula teammate Chris McCormick has assumed the coaching duties from Peter Marshall (now the head man at Premier club Kingston Hawthorn). Another bonus for the Roosters is that they’ll have ace 2019-20 recruit Tom Rickarby for the whole season. He blitzed 411 runs at 58.7 in his first few outings for Malvern, only to take ill. He’s likely to make some bowling attacks feel off-colour this season. — Paul Amy

Moorabbin will miss English all-rounder Karl Carver.

MOORABBIN

Coach: Duran Murrian

Captain: Roshan Livera

Last season: fifth

In: TBC

Out: Romain Grenville, Karl Carver, Vish Wijeratne, Manav Shah, Jumin Shaiju.

Snapshot: The Binners’ rise to the finals for the first time in almost 30 years was one of the stories of last season. But a couple of months later they were parting ways with the man who steered them there, captain-coach Romain Grenville, who has gone to Premier club Kingston Hawthorn. Batsman Jumin Shaiju followed him. The absence of overseas pair Karl Carver and Vish Wijeratne will also be felt; Carver was valuable with his batting and left-arm spin, and Wijeratne put down his influence with his runs and wicketkeeping. The experienced Roshan Livera has taken over the captaincy and is working to stitch up some recruits. He’s also looking to push up players from the Second XI and the John Craig Shield team. Much will depend on seasoned hands Livera, coach Duran Murrian, Damsara Menuwara and Clayron Landers as the Binners try to consolidate in the top half of the ladder. With the departures, it won’t be easy. — Paul Amy

Mt Waverley coach Michael Sheedy.

MT WAVERLEY

Coach: Michael Sheedy

Captain: Michael Sheedy

Last season: 12th

In: Daniel Broadbent (out of retirement)

Out: Sanjaya Chathuranga (home to Sri Lanka due to COVID-19)

Snapshot: Mt Waverley was around the mark last season and had it not been for a couple of tight losses either side of Christmas, it could have figured among the finals. It’s set to welcome back frontline bowler Hugh Birchall, who missed all but one match last year through a bicep injury, but according to president David Grossman, he’s fit and firing and is “almost a brand new player”. Former Yorkshire cricketer Daniel Broadbent has come out of retirement and is set to feature as a top-order batsman in a lifter for the club, and along with Birchall’s return, the pair could well be the keys to a return to finals. Add in young batsman Aingharan Athithithan, who won’t be playing private school cricket this year. He’s a member of the Cricket Victoria Under 17 male emerging performance squad. Former Sri Lankan first-class cricketer Sanjaya Chathuranga has however returned home due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, and will be missed in both the batting and bowling ranks. — Daniel Cencic.

Noble Park skipper Luke Wintle has retired.

NOBLE PARK

Coach: Matty Crozier

Captain: TBC

Last season: fifth

In: Amal Athulathmudali, Janaka Gunaratne

Out: Luke Wintle, Chris Lee, Robbie Johnston, Nilo Pirera, Kalhan Sineth

Snapshot: Two late pick-ups in the form of former Sri Lankan first-class players have lifted spirits that had been sagging at the Pat Wright Senior Oval. The Parkers had counted some important losses but Gunaratne and all-rounder Athulathmudali are experienced and well-performed players, most recently parading their ability in the Dandenong association. Club great Issy Perera enticed them to Noble – and will be hoping they can put up some of the runs lost with the departing players. Athulathmudali, coming off a short run, is also a useful medium-pacer. Perera has done it with bat and ball ever since joining the club from Heatherton – he has seven club championships to his name – and he’ll need to give the Parkers another golden summer for them to make the finals. — Paul Amy

Plenty Valley’s Blake Pearson has crossed to Oakleigh.

OAKLEIGH

Coach: Brendan McGuinness

Captain: Brendan McGuinness

Last season: premier

In: Jack Blyth, Ryan Pearson, Blake Pearson

Out: Dravid Rao

Snapshot: The Oaks were crowned premiers last season after COVID-19 forced the abandonment of the grand final, reward for finishing on top of the ladder. Perennial contenders, they’ve gained two-time Fitzroy-Doncaster premiership opening batsman Jack Blyth and Plenty Valley pair Ryan and Blake Pearson, bolstering their batting (and taking some of the load off doughty Brendan McGuinness) and having Blake Pearson’s bowling to come in behind the best new-ball combination in the competition, Alexander Jones and Michael Splatt. Between them they took 75 wickets last season, 42 going to right-armer Splatt and 33 to left-armer Jones. No team could chase runs with any confidence at Oakleigh. Adaptable, dependable and well captained by McGuinness, expect the Oaks, a model cricket club, to be setting the standard again. — Paul Amy

indefatigable: Rodney Bird bowling for Ormond.

ORMOND

Coach: Murray Ring

Captain: Ben Speake

Last season: sixth

In: Sachin Varadarajan.

Out: Kobe Heitlinger

Snapshot: The Monders have made a change of captaincy, with top-order batsman Ben Speake taking over from James Wild, who, crucially for the club, is continuing on as a player. Speake was impressive in his first season at The Gunn as Ormond qualified for the finals, only to be skittled at Oakleigh. The Monders had issues with player points at times so saw no need to recruit in the off-season. There is a lot of talent in the line-up and, if coach Murray Ring’s three-year plan comes off, it will come to the boil in 2020-21. Having Blade Baxter for the whole season will help – he missed a chunk of last season with a hand injury – with the one-day format to bring out his ability the bat and the ball (which he shares with the indefatigable and reliable Rodney Bird). Nick Oaten is back too. Looking to the future, the Monders have appointed 19-year-old spinner Tom Buchanan as vice-captain. Looking to the now, they should be eyeing a top-six slot. — Paul Amy

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