VTCA Senior Division premier Yarraville Club makes big recruiting splash

Just a week after claiming the VTCA Senior Division flag, Yarraville Club has an another big win – this time in the recruiting market.

Just a week after claiming the VTCA Senior Division premiership, Yarraville Club has had another big win.

The Clubbers have signed former Victoria batsman and Premier Cricket great Michael Hill for the 2023-24 season.

The announcement confirms Hill’s decision to hang up the boots at Victoria’s highest level after a distinguished career with Melbourne and Essendon.

Hill made his Premier debut for the Demons in 2005-06 and finishes with two premierships, 7191 runs in 234 matches, 10 centuries and a high score of 156 not out.

He represented Victoria and Tasmania at Sheffield Shield level and Hobart and Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League.

Michael Hill in action for Victoria.

The decorated middle-order bat joins former Essendon coach Mitch Johnstone at Hansen Reserve.

Johnstone was rapt to lure Hill across.

“I worked with him for three years at Essendon and played against him a fair bit, so there’s a strong relationship there,” Johnstone said.

“He’s a strong personality, so we feel like with our group being relatively quiet and introverted, he’s going to give us some energy on and off the field as well as some runs.

“Hilly and I have been in conversation for a few months knowing it was probably going to be his last season of Premier Cricket.

“It’s a huge acquisition for us with Hilly’s credentials being second to none.

“He’s played Premier Cricket since the mid-2000s but he’s got a child on the way and life changes for all of us, so he thought the time was right.”

Hill will slot into a batting order that scored the third most runs in Senior Division last season, led by Trent Lawford’s 393 runs – ranked ninth overall.

Michael Hill plays a drive for Essendon. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Chinthaka Jayasinghe (355), Johnstone (327) and Sangaran Nandhalal (305) also had strong campaigns.

With grand final hero Ash Sweet weighing up his playing future and a pair of young guns considering a move to Premier Cricket, Johnstone said the Clubbers weren’t finished recruiting.

“We felt like we were one class batter short so Hilly addresses that,” he said.

VTCA: YARRAVILLE CLUB CROWNED KINGS OF VTCA

LEADER: GET YOUR LOCAL CRICKET NEWS HERE

SHIELD: CHANDRASINGHE OPENS UP ON FINAL KNOCK

“Our next focus is replenishing our bowling stocks, Ash Sweet is in some doubt due to family and work commitments.

“We’ll look to target a bowler or two to compliment a pretty good slow bowling attack with myself, Jack Martin, James Damjanovski and CJ (Jayasinghe) as well.

“Our keeper Sanga (Nandhalal) has a similar situation with work and family and a couple might have a crack at the next level, Heath Beveridge and Lachie Campbell.”

Before revealing Hill’s signing, Yarraville Club posted an April Fool announcement saying the club would merge with Senior Division rivals Druids for 2023-24.