Victorian Premier Cricket: Kingston Hawthorn claims successive wins and seconds and fourths make finals
The Hawks are awash with success, with history being made. And the club’s brightest prospects have been revealed.
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Amid the results of Victorian Premier Cricket last Saturday, something significant happened for Kingston Hawthorn.
For the first time since forming in 2015 through the merger of Kingston Saints and Hawthorn-Monash University cricket clubs, the club had successive wins in state cricket’s highest club competition.
Kingston Hawthorn beat Essendon in first XI — its first win at Windy Hill in a very long time and its second victory on the trot after beating Greenvale Kangaroos last round.
And on the same day, the club’s seconds and fourths secured wins to guarantee finals spots — the first time Kingston Hawthorn teams have made finals.
The Hawks have a raft of promising young players bubbling away throughout the grades and first-season coach Colin Siller says it’s an exciting time for the Parkdale-based club.
“I’m so chuffed,” he said.
“The ones winning, that’s going to be gradual and there’s more to come I reckon.
“With the twos and the fours qualifying for finals…I was looking for hopefully maybe one team to make finals but for two teams to make finals that’s just incredible.
“That’s the first time since the merge that any team has made finals.”
Kingston Hawthorn’s first XI showed grit and a new-found belief to beat the Bombers at Windy Hill.
After dismissing Essendon for 108 last week, the Hawks made 122 to win on first innings. Essendon, in its second dig, rushed to 6-193 before declaring and re-inserting Kingston Hawthorn, with 35 overs remaining.
Hawks keeper-batter Joel Lewis showed admirable fight to make 44 not out at the top of the list as the visitors reached 2-85 off 30 overs when players shook hands. Skipper Josh Manning made 25.
“The guys believed in themselves,’’ Siller said.
“There was no chat of, ‘oh, we need to survive this’, it was more, ‘we can do this, no problem’.
“There’s a lot of confidence.
“That confidence has come from what the other teams have done, with the twos doing well, the threes have had a good season…I think just that whole confidence has come into the ones. They believe in themselves. They don’t fear anyone.’’
Siller said Lewis, promoted to the opening slot, looked comfortable.
“We’ve promoted him to opening for the last couple of matches,’’ he said.
“We just thought we’ll he wasn’t scoring any runs lower down the order, he loves the ball coming on, let’s just see what he does. And he’s looked like the old Joel. He looks like he’s enjoying his cricket, he’s doing well. So that’s one move that’s worked out really well.’’
Kingston Hawthorn’s seconds batter Nivin Sathyajith made 87 off 85 balls as his side chased down Essendon’s 311, making 8-312 off 89.4 overs. Vithum Sathyajith (48), Ben Spencer (45) and Max Anson (41) also made crucial contributions. It was the Hawks’ ninth win, securing a finals spot.
The Hawks’ fourths captain Steve Ralph took 5-35 in his side’s outright win over Essendon, the Hawks’ eighth win ensuring a finals berth with one round to go.
Well-travelled Scotsman Siller, who is an ECB Level 3 coach who for the past 30 years has coached at every level, says Kingston Hawthorn has a raft of promising players emerging.
He spotlights five of the Hawks’ best up and comers; their brightest hopes:
Tyler Pearson: physically he’s progressed a lot in the past 12 months, added several yards of pace. Has taken 18 wickets at 22.6 this season, generating good pace.
Cory Cater: only 18 and he’s played pretty much half the season in the ones and done well, taking nine wickets. He moves the ball, mostly bowls leg cutters, but he can do both leg cutters and off cutters. That’s his strength, making the ball move either away from or into the bat.
Jonathan Vincent: has had a breakout season. He captained the seconds, making consistent runs to put the side on the path to finals before gaining promotion to the ones where he hit 61 against Greenvale. Just turned 22.
Prabhav Mishra: the 18-year-old opener made 55 in the threes on Saturday, taking his season tally to 282 at 31.3. Has had a taste of seconds. Exciting talent.
Roshan Gunatilake: “I know Cricket Victoria rate him but he is only 16,’’ Siller said. “Left hand bat but he is one to watch out for. He’s very much a two-day player, very stylish, technically very good. He is one to watch but as I say he is only 16. Let’s see where he is when he’s 19. Don’t push him too hard too fast. Let’s let it happen naturally. But he is a talent.’’
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