Plenty Valley coach Scott McNaughton energised by talent pool

Scott McNaughton hopes to continue Plenty Valley’s deep talent pipeline and help the Bats return to VSDCA finals in 2023-24.

Plenty Valley’s depth of junior talent has new coach Scott McNaughton energised.

The former Ivanhoe and Japan coach arrives at War Memorial Reserve looking to continue developing the Bats’ talent pipeline while also seeing the VSDCA club return to finals in 2023-24.

McNaughton takes the coaching reins from Michael Rogneda, who has returned to Premier club Northcote as the under-18s and development coach and as a player.

Plenty Valley has finished 10th in the past two seasons and will be looking to replicate its semi-final run in the last North-West campaign in 2020-21.

McNaughton said he had already got a glimpse at the talent around the region.

Simon Black celebrates a stunning catch against Malvern. Picture: Andy Brownbill

“I live out this way and drive past the facility three or four times a week, so when the opportunity came up I had a chat straight away,” he said.

“It’s a great club and very well set up and what got me, something I’ve very passionate about, is development young players and building the group.

“It’s something I did at Ivanhoe … I feel I’ve left them in a good place and I’m looking forward to sinking my teeth into a new club and new environment.

“Plenty Valley has a really talented list, a couple of young guys are heading off to Premier Cricket, which is exciting.

“Some of the kids I’ve seen so far, the talent floating around in our academy sessions, is really exciting and there’s people at the club that have had success and are keen to get back into the finals mix.

“Rogs (Rogneda) has left the club in a good spot, which I’m very thankful for.

“We’ll be looking to continue to build that culture, that winning culture, and merge the two together to produce some good talent and wins some games of cricket at the same time.”

English young gun Henry Cullen will not return to the Bats next season.

The UK import topped the North-South group run-scorers charts – and ranked second across the VSDCA – with 691 runs at 53.15.

The glut of runs was the second in Plenty Valley history behind Sean Ayres’ 828 in 2013-14 and secured him VSDCA Team of the Year honours.

Naman Sharma finished the campaign with 459 runs, ranked 18th in the competition.

Leading wicket-taker Simon Black is locked in for 2023-24 after collecting 29 scalps at 16.52 ahead of Rogneda with 24.

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McNaughton revealed the Bats are close to signing a new UK import for next season and hopes to bolster the squad with a couple of recruits.

Daniel Heatley and Jimmy Plunkett are locked in as assistant coaches.

McNaughton dropped down to Ivanhoe’s Third XI this season, finishing top of the competition’s wicket-taking charts with 36 helping the Saints win a drought-breaking premiership.

The wily spinner said there “might be a few overs left in the shoulder” but would only play on if it benefited the club and helped develop its young players.