Premier Cricket: Why Fitzroy Doncaster can rebound this season
There’s plenty of cause for optimism at the Lions ahead of the Premier Cricket season with the captain confident his group can bounce back this year. Here’s why.
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The return of two-day cricket has Fitzroy Doncaster captain Ejaaz Alavi confident his group can rebound after missing the finals last season.
The Lions finished 13th with a 6-9-1 record in 2021-22 following a semi-final berth the previous campaign.
But a boost in the batting order spells stiff competition for spots.
Fresh off winning the VSDCA’s best young player, opening bat Aryan Sharma arrives from Plenty Valley after plundering 522 runs in the firsts last season (second overall) in the Subbies’ North-East group at an average of 43.5, highlighted by a century knock against Ivanhoe.
He cracked the half-century on four additional occasions and joins a Lions top-order featuring Jack Rudd (424 runs last season), Noah Korkolis (411) and Liam Banthorpe (369). Rishab Guddadmane has crossed from rival Camberwell Magpies after just four appearances last year, while batsman Tom Kellar has also crossed from the ACT top-flight comp, where he made 406 runs last season.
The skipper says they’ll provide a significant lift.
“We’ve added more depth to our batting group and hopefully push to make some big runs across the season,” Alavi said.
“We’re not putting any pressure on players like that, but we’re hoping for growth from every one of our batters and hoping the new guys we’ve brought in can have an impact throughout the year.”
The Lions have farewelled batsman Lakshma Shivakumar (relocated interstate) and paceman Harrison Goad in a blow to the bowling attack, but Alavi is confident of emerging stocks filling the void.
“He (Goad) was a really important player for us over the past few years since he came across from Kingston Hawthorn, it’s a big loss but we have guys we hope can fill that role and plenty of guys that are improving year in, year out,” Alavi said.
“We’re hoping we don’t have much of Sam Elliott this year, we’re hoping he’s playing with the Vics.
“But we have guys coming through we hope can really have an impact in Jackson Ellingworth, Alex Johnston and then a group of spinners that can play important roles in Liam Myott, Callum McIlveen, Kai Turner as well as Ikroop Dhanoa and Charlie Simondson.
“We’re excited to give guys opportunities and particularly with red-ball cricket coming back, we’re really looking forward to that.”
A return to finals is on the agenda at Schramms Reserve, with the skipper bullish the two-day format can boost his side’s fortunes.
“We sort of got a bit frustrated as a group playing all one-day cricket, and the two-day cricket’s really going to suit our batting group to bat long periods of time,” Alavi said.
“I think that’s going to be the big improvement area for us, putting together those bigger partnerships at the top and then putting on those big totals to give us plenty to bowl at.
“Then with the ball, everyone’s just looking forward to bowling more overs.
“It’s just about doing the basics well, backing ourselves in and we know we’re going to compete hard – that’s always been our strength.”
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