Scott McNaughton takes on coaching job at VSDCA club Ivanhoe

Ivanhoe will have a new coach and captain in 2021-22. Scott McNaughton has been appointed coach with a skipper to be named closer to the season.

Scott McNaughton (fourth from left) inspects the ball.

Ivanhoe has looked within for its new coach, appointing assistant Scott McNaughton.

The former Japan national team and Tasmanian Premier Cricket coach takes over from Sunny Fernando, who spent four seasons in the top job at Ivanhoe Park.

The Saints will be looking to break a six-year VSDCA finals drought next season when their conference shifts to North-East.

McNaughton, who’s spent five seasons at the Saints, was looking forward to the challenge.

“I’ve coached Premier Cricket in Tassie, I’d had a bit of time off but got back into playing this season and got my love of the game back,” he said.

“I was assistant coach this season to get my feet back under the desk and I’m really looking forward to the challenge and opportunity.

“We’ve got a great young list and some real potential there that we need to start bringing on.

“You see some of the young talent we’ve got, it’s a great opportunity to nurture that and there’s some players that we haven’t been able to get the best out of yet.”

The First XI captaincy will also be up for grabs with McNaughton ruling himself out as captain-coach.

Ivanhoe finished eighth in 2020-21, it’s best result since 2015-16, with six wins.

“In the past we’ve probably had one big player that’s made a truck load of runs or taken a heap of wickets and the team hasn’t done that well,” McNaughton said.

“This season was about coming together as a tight-knit group, which we did, and we had guys win games from all sorts of positions.

Rizwan Aqeel bowls to Liam Murphy.

“We were in a lot of games and could have won three or four more games, the only game we were out of was against Kew.”

Fernando led the club’s run-scorers with 404 runs at an average of 31.08 (12th overall), while off-season recruit and former Camberwell Premier coach Brad Loveluck knocked in 310 runs.

Rizwan Aqeel and Raza Rizwan were the top wicket-takers with 12 scalps apiece (47th overall), although Aqeel managed the feat in 10 games to Rizwan’s 13.

McNaughton hoped Fernando remained with the club and didn’t “anticipate any losses” from the First XI.

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The club will look to continue to develop its home-grown talent but is speaking to “a couple” of potential recruits.

“Sunny’s put a lot into the club and if he choses to stick around and be involved we’d love to have him but we’ll support him in whatever he choses to do,” McNaughton said.

“We’re looking at (recruiting) now but my philosophy is to look after what you’ve got first and then supplement.

“I know a lot of Subbies clubs go for big-name recruits and we’re certainly speaking to a few players but it’s about what the person brings to the group rather than going for the big fish.”