Premier Cricket: Frankston Peninsula must find a new coach for 2024-25

Frankston Peninsula coach Paul Boraston has given an honest self-assessment after calling time on his four-year stint at the Heat. He discusses the reasons behind his resignation.

Heat coach Paul Boraston has resigned. Pic: Frankston Pneinsula CC

There will be a new coach calling the shots at Frankston Peninsula Cricket Club in 2024-25 after Paul Boraston announced his resignation.

The 41-year-old will bring down the curtain on his four-season reign after the final game of the season on February 24.

“I let the committee know a week and a half ago that I won’t be continuing on next year,“ he said.

Boraston said a raft of reasons were behind his decision to leave the post, including a lack of success at first XI level.

“It’s getting pretty difficult, travel wise, the commute from work and home, the kids are growing up, family wise as well and also at the end of the day the results haven’t been good enough,’’ he said.

“So probably all three factors to a degree had a bit of a bearing.

“So I let them (the Frankston committee) know and they can start looking towards next year and planning what they have to do.”

Frankston Peninsula players celebrate a wicket against Kingston Hawthorn. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Boraston said he’s enjoyed his coaching stint at Jubilee Park but admits one unfulfilled ambition rankles him.

“It’s been enjoyable, it’s been challenging,’’ he said.

“But not getting the wins that we’d like, particularly in the top half. I mean we’ve had some success in the lower grades, we’ve played finals consistently down there and the fourths won a premiership

“But ultimately you want to have success at the top and play finals and we haven’t been able to do that.

“This season in particular with injuries and things have really hurt us, it’s been difficult.

I’d like some more success there’s no doubt about that.’’

Frankston Peninsula hasn’t played finals in the top grade in over a decade.

Boraston said he would walk away content, believing he helped build depth within the club.

“When I got there I think the club only had 10 wins the season before I arrived, throughout the four grades, so I suppose there was a lack of winning culture,’’ he said.

“And the dept was pretty low, there wasn’t a lot of depth in the club.

“We had to do a lot of work to bring players in and shuffle things around and hopefully get a bit more success which we’ve been able to do but ultimately in the top grade we would have loved to have played finals and we haven’t been able to do that.’’

Boraston hoped the next coach would be able to cash in on the work he’s done.

“Hopefully. There are some good young kids coming through and I want to see them stay at Premier level and work their way through and be long term players and that’s the aim,’’ he said.

“Players like Sam Gove and Lucas (McConnell), those local MPCA players we want to see them play for the club for a good 10 plus years and have success.’’

*Frankston Peninsula 21-year-old Lucas McConnell hit his maiden century for the Heat, 107 off 165 balls against a strong Prahran attack on Saturday.

He drove, cut and pulled with power — and attacked the spinners — as he dispatched 18 boundaries.

Boraston hoped it was a “break out’’ innings for the right-hander.

“He used his feet very well,’’ he said.

“As soon as (James) Boyce flighted it above the eyeline he got down and either got it on the full or bunted it over the top of mid on. And then he waited for the short one and cut well off the back foot.

“It should be a bit of a break out, a confidence booster for Lucas. He’s shown little bits and pieces here and there. He won us the game a couple of weeks ago with a quick 30 not out in the white ball game. But in the red ball game to bat and face 165 balls was great, fantastic.’’

Despite McConnell’s ton, Frankston Peninsula fell short of Prahran’s 3-344 (declared), making 285.

Cameron Hemp cracked 163 not out for Prahran.