VSDCA: Steve Duckworth joins ECA club Canterbury
Balwyn is on the hunt for a new captain for the second time in two years after Steve Duckworth informed the club he would be joining Canterbury in the Eastern Cricket Association.
Local Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Sport . Followed categories will be added to My News.
Former Fitzroy Doncaster new-ball combination Steve Duckworth and Chris Moore will reunite in the Eastern Cricket Association this year.
Duckworth has informed Sub-District Cricket club Balwyn he will not be continuing as captain, joining Moore at ECA club Canterbury.
He had also relinquished the coaching role at the end of the VSDCA season.
Balwyn stalwart Clinton Kennon will take the coaching reins at Gordon Barnard Reserve in 2019-20.
Pace bowler Mitch Carey will also be unavailable for at least the first half of the season.
JUSTIN BAKER RETURNS TO BUCKLEY PARK
RINGWOOD NAMES ITS NEW CAPTAIN
CAMERON WHITE TO LEAD MELBOURNE
Carey is playing cricket in the UK and will remain overseas until after the English summer.
Duckworth took 304 First XI wickets across 183 appearances for Fitzroy Doncaster and Footscray and has spent the past three seasons at Balwyn.
He played in the Tigers’ 2016-17 premiership and has served as captain-coach for the past two seasons.
Duckworth’s departure leaves the Tigers looking for a new skipper for the second time in two years after premiership captain Liam Murphy defected to VSDCA rival Brunswick.
The Tigers are advertising for a “senior batsman, on-field leader and specialist skills coach”.
Balwyn will be placed in the East-West Group next in 2019-20 and Duckworth said the travel commitment to play Subbies formed part of his decision.
“It means I don’t have to travel to the likes of Werribee, Hoppers Crossing or Melton every second game,” he said.
“I’m about two minutes away from Canterbury’s ground, which makes it easier and gives a chance for the family to come and watch most games.”
Duckworth said he was “pretty close to going back to Fitzroy” but instead will form one of the best new-ball attacks in local cricket next season.
Canterbury finished with a 5-9 record in 2018-19 but will be expected to climb the Dunstan Shield ladder.
“Whatever Chris and I can share together will hopefully put Canterbury on the right track,” he said.
“They’ve got a great culture, they’ve got a great bunch of kids coming through and there was two former Fitzroy players (Lloyd Mash and Ben Waterman) who played at the club as well who had some really good things to say.
“The feedback from them was nothing but good so when you have that feedback coming from them and the culture and the kids that are coming through at Canterbury, in conjunction with Chris, it was a pretty easy decision.”
Rare air for young Ram on debut
First XI debuts with the ball simply don’t come much better, or memorable, than that of Ringwood’s Justin Beaton. Remember the name.
‘He just gets it done’: Dandenong’s glowing praise for young gun
Dandenong coach Tom Donnell has sung the praises of two star Panthers, including one he thinks could be making a historical start to his Premier Cricket career.