The best recruits for the 2021-22 Sub-District cricket season

Former Vic Aaron Ayre, quickie Matt Doric and Premier Cricket legend Simon Hill are among a stellar cast of signings for Sub-District clubs.

The top recruits for the 2021-22 Subbies season.

A former Victorian Shield player.

A batsman who scored more than 10,000 runs in Victorian Premier Cricket.

A speedy strike bowler.

Dandenong premiership players.

There’s been an impressive influx in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association in the off-season and more recruits are rumoured to be in the works.

Here are 21 of the best signings so far across the 32 clubs.

Kyle Adams bowling for Greenvale Kangaroos. Picture: Arj Giese

Kyle Adams, St Bernard’s

The former Greenvale, Northcote and Footscray paceman will captain-coach the Snowdogs in 2021-22. After retiring from Premier Cricket in 2019-20, Adams led the Kangaroos’ VTCA First XI, taking 20 wickets at 13.5 and hitting 198 runs at 33. The experienced quick will give St Bernard’s one of the best pace batteries in the competition when he lines up with Luke Davis and Aaron Smillie.

Aaron Ayre, Coburg

Arguably the biggest recruit of the VSDCA off-season, Ayre joins his brother-in-law Aaron Shellie at Coburg City Oval. The former Victoria and Melbourne Renegades batsman retired from Premier Cricket after a decorated eight-year stay at Essendon in which he cracked 4824 runs and broke the Bombers’ single-season runs record with 1057 in 2018-19. Struggled in 2020-21 but still managed to knock up 399 runs.

Aaron Ayre hitting out for Essendon. Picture: Arj Giese

Ajay Bhatt, Hoppers Crossing

Bhatt arrives at Hoppers after three seasons as captain-coach of Carnegie in the Cricket Southern Bayside Championship. The top-order batsman and part-time bowler has experience at Premier and VSDCA level (he was a leading swing bowler at Malvern for a number of seasons) and will serve as the Cats’ batting coach. Bhatt had a solid season in 2020-21, scoring 360 runs at an average of 25.71 with three half-centuries.

Adam Bull, Ormond

The Monders have recruited profitably from Prahran in the past few years and they’ve picked up a fine player in Bull, a right-hand batsman who, after a slow start in Premier Cricket, built a worthy career and record. He made his debut at Dandenong in 2001-02, switched to Prahran in 2008-09 and finished with 218 matches. There were 5735 runs – many of them thrashed through the off-side – six centuries and 31 half-centuries. Expect “Bully’’ to keep bowlers busy in 2021-22, and to become a popular figure at The Gunn.

Adam Bull cutting for Prahran.

Peter Cassidy, Brighton

Even as last season was playing out the Tonners were being linked with Dandenong premiership player Cassidy, and they made their signing after Elsternwick made a late move for him. Cassidy, 26, joined Dandy from Prahran and developed into a medium-pace bowler of uncommon accuracy. He figured in the 2017-18 premiership and in 77 matches collected 113 wickets, with a best of 6-30. Cassidy is also a batsman who places a high value on his wicket, and he came through for Dandy in the semi-final with a vital hand of 56 and a matchwinning partnership with his great mate Jacques Augustin. Brighton, then, should expect wickets and runs from “Pistol Pete’’.

Rory Collins, St Bernard’s

One of the best wicketkeeper-batsmen in the VSDCA, Collins switches allegiances from St Bernard’s North group rival Plenty Valley after a change in work commitments. The former Dandenong, Greenvale and Essendon Premier cricketer spent three seasons at the Bats, amassing 1302 runs in 40 First XI matches. He’ll add some much-needed starch to the Snowdogs’ top-order.

Alex Deuchar, Taylors Lakes

Appointed coach in June and added captain to his portfolio earlier this month. The Englishman arrives from Premier club Kingston-Hawthorn were he was senior assistant coach and First XI captain in 2019-20. Has tasted Subbies premiership glory as captain of Glen Waverley in 2015-16 but will have his work cut out this season against the dominant South group clubs.

Matt Doric, Brunswick

Doric’s departure rips the heart out of Essendon’s engine room and immediately gives Brunswick one of the most formidable attacks in the VSDCA. Doric adds 300-plus Premier Cricket wickets with North Melbourne (Greenvale) and Essendon to the Wicks’ pace battery and will team up with former Bombers teammates Clint McKay and Louis Cameron. No bowler took more Premier wickets between 2010 and 2020 than Doric.

Lincoln “LJ” Edwards, Elsternwick

The stylish right-hander has returned to his junior club as captain, taking over from club great Cam Christiansen. Edwards played under and open-age cricket at Elsty before joining Melbourne, where he had a First XI debut in 2013-14. Crossing to Dandenong, he featured in the 2017-18 premiership alongside Test pair Peter Siddle and Darren Pattinson. “LJ’ wound up with more than 2000 runs and two centuries in 101 First XI matches. He’ll make a lot of runs for the Wicks and he’ll save a few too with his brilliant fielding.

Dan Forbes, Caulfield

The reigning south-east premier became stronger with bat and ball when it locked in Forbes, who played 125 First XI matches for Premier club St Kilda and was entrusted with the captaincy when Rob Quiney and Michael Beer were unavailable. Caulfield’s Saints connection – Graeme Rummans, Lachie Graf and coach Adrian Jones – brought Forbes to the Fielders. He’s spent the past four seasons with Hampton in Cricket Southern Bayside and was at the heart of its Championship flag in 2019-20. Correct with the bat and slippery with the ball, he hit 562 runs at 46.8 and took 22 wickets at 15.2 last season. He’s a fine player.

Daniel Forbes at the creases for Hampton.

Paul Gloury, Donvale

The top-order batsman makes the move from Bayswater where he spent season 2020-21, having previously captained Box Hill. He brings a wealth of experience to the Lions with more than 6500 career runs – including 333 last season in 13 appearances with the Waters. In his five seasons at Box Hill Gloury was named club champion on four occasions and chosen in the VSDCA team of the year in 2016-17. He’ll serve as Donvale’s captain this season as the club makes the big leap into the VSDCA.

Zac Grundmann-Perera, Elsternwick

Exciting cricketer who played in Dandenong’s 2018-19 Victorian Super Slam grand final win over Carlton at the MCG. He can hit the ball hard and a long way, bowls leggies and, with his great athleticism, is a bandit in the field. Unfortunately Grundmann-Perera has had knee injures in the past two seasons but if he’s fit it won’t take him long to fire.

Zac Hayes, Bayswater

The exciting young leg-spinner has played in multiple premierships at Bayswater and returns from Premier club Ringwood, where he had three seasons in the lower grades. Should slot in as a handy replacement for outgoing bowler Luke Saultry, who has headed to the Rams.

Simon Hill, Brunswick

What a day for Brunswick when the sixth highest run-scorer in Premier Cricket history walked into the club. Hill brings a sparkling resume to the Wicks that includes 11,256 runs in more than 300 First XI appearances for Camberwell Magpies. He’ll slot in nicely next to star batsman Liam Murphy in the top-order, which was ranked fifth in the VSDCA North-West group last season.

Jake Marnie, Croydon

The top-order bat lands at the Cockies from Kingston Hawthorn and will serve as a playing-assistant and batting coach. He brings a wealth of experience to the club having spent more than a decade at Premier level across Kingston Hawthorn, Monash and Camberwell, for 167 matches (including 59 First XI matches with the Hawks). Has scored 4123 career runs and should provide a major boost in Croydon’s bid to climb the ladder this season.

Dasun Opanayake, Elsternwick

He’s far from the biggest name to join Subbies from Premier Cricket, but Opanayake is a useful cricketer, well performed with the bat at Second XI level and tidy with medium-pace bowling. Dandenong gave him a debut in 2017-18 and although he found no permanence in the top team he was never far from the thoughts of selectors. He’ll be a good Subbies player.

Jake Rigby, Mt Waverley

The 2015-16 Mt Waverley premiership player returns after a two-season stint at Premier level with Kingston Hawthorn. Last season the fast bowler took 13 wickets at an average of 39.92 and with a best of 3-18 against Frankston Peninsula. They’re modest figures, but he’s a proven Subbies player. He’s also handy with the bat and coach Michael Sheedy expects Rigby to be a handy addition to the middle-order for 2021-22. Has won two club champion awards at the club.

Michael Stretton, Preston

Increasing work commitments put an end to Stretton’s two seasons as captain of Premier outfit Greenvale Kangaroos. He’ll instead lead the Bullants in 2021-22. Stretton brings immense experience to Preston City Oval, having also previously captained Bankstown and Parramatta in Sydney Grade cricket. Stretton’s output was down last season as a result, scoring 234 runs in 13 matches, compared to his 347 runs in 15 matches 2019-20.

Michael Stretton in action for Greenvale. Picture: Hamish Blair

Trent Waring, Taylors Lakes

Waring ended a 13-year stint at Premier Cricket club Greenvale Kangaroos when he signed with the Lakers. He’ll add some much-needed firepower alongside last VSDCA season’s second leading wicket-taker Hoa Lai. While the last three seasons have been tough for Waring, he showed his talent with 25 First XI scalps in 2016-17 and will be hoping to return to his best with his new club.

Chanaka Welegedara, Strathmore

The former Sri Lanka Test paceman returns to the Mores after one season away playing in the Dandenong District association with Buckley Ridges. Welegedara had been a mainstay of the Strathmore pace attack for three seasons previously, helping the club claim the 2018-19 VTCA Senior Division premiership with an outstanding return of 44 wickets at 12.73, including a hat-trick against Yarraville Club.

Hamish Winter-Irving, Werribee

The reigning North-West premier only got stronger over the off-season, adding Premier paceman Winter-Irving. Still only 28, Winter-Irving was a key member of Footscray’s 2013-14 premiership, represented Victoria’s Second XI in 2018 and retires from the top flight with 207 First XI wickets from 152 games. Will be a key factor as the Bees take on the might of the VSDCA South group.

Hamish Winter-Irving in action for Footscray. Picture: Mark Wilson

AND A FEW MORE

Joseph Doyle, Malvern

The Roosters needed another option for their pace stocks and they’ve gained a useful player in Doyle, who returned some good figures for the Camberwell Magpies Seconds, particularly after Christmas: 2-38 off 10, 3-26 off 10 and 3-26 off 10. He had started the season in the Third XI. Doyle came out of the Wangaratta and District association and was a region under-age player.

Rory Freeman, Ormond

The young top-order player has returned to the Monders from Melbourne, where he played in the fourths and thirds last season. Came to attention in the John Craig Shield competition in 2016-17 when he cracked 459 runs for Ormond, including innings of 172 and 5.

Maxwell Tucker, Elsternwick

The medium pacer and useful batsman played a lot of cricket for Melbourne’s lower-grade teams, popping up in the Second XI last season before succumbing to injury. Elsty have gained not only a First XI all-rounder, but a good clubman.

Caleb Hrabe, Bayswater

The fast bowler arrives from Yarra Junction courtesy of former Bayswater wicketkeeper and current Eagles captain-coach Travis Nightingale. Hrabe played nine matches in the RDCA’s Stuart Newey Plate competition last season, finishing top five for wickets taken in Yarra Junction’s First XI.

Campbell Mole, Bayswater

The left-handed bat has returned to the Waters after time at Ringwood where a knee reconstruction curtailed him. Should push into the First XI this season and brings promise as a batsman, having belted hundreds for the John Craig Shield team.