Westmeadows appoints Premier Cricket star as captain-coach for 2021-22

VTCA Senior Division club Westmeadows has secured a 100-game Premier Cricket batsman as it’s captain-coach for the 2021-22 season.

Westmeadows has secured a Premier Cricket gun as captain-coach for the 2021-22 VTCA Senior Division season.

Carlton batsman Donovan Pell will lead the Warriors next season, taking over from club stalwart Tarek Moughanie.

It’s a massive boost on and off the field for Westmeadows with Pell to add instant class to the batting order and bring “a more holistic approach” as coach.

In limited opportunities in the powerhouse Carlton line-up, Pell made 213 runs in 16 matches this season, making one half-century.

He made 102 Premier Cricket First XI appearances for the Blues, scoring 1679 runs.

WCC welcome @donovanpell to the Club for the next 2 years as captain coach. @VTCA_Official Also thank @tarekmoughanie for his wonderful successful term and look forward to two former @CarltonCCScores boys playing together. pic.twitter.com/WnTSrNa5Ae

— Westmeadows CC (@Westmeadowscc) April 13, 2021

Moughanie was thrilled to see Pell take the reins at Willowbrook Reserve.

“We spoke to him last season and he wasn’t quite ready to leave, he wanted to win another premiership and play 100 games,” Moughanie said.

“The club reached out to him again and had a conversation and here we are, so it’s very exciting.

“He’s coming from a club with a fantastic culture in Carlton and he’s a very suitable to local cricket because he can play properly but also give it a bash.

“He’ll also bring a lot more to the club as a coach, a more holistic approach than me.

“We were disappointed to miss finals but we’ve set the foundations in Senior Division now and we’re ready to launch and win a premiership.”

Westmeadows finished sixth in its maiden Senior Division season, two games outside the top four.

Chinthaka Jayasinghe led the club with 423 runs (eighth overall) and Ryan Blair finished as the top wicket-taker with 17 scalps (sixth overall).

Ryan Blair in action for Westmeadows. Picture: Hamish Blair

The Warriors have since lost Danny Law to Tullamarine and Dean Pitts to retirement, while Glenroy paceman Austin Wynne has signed on.

Moughanie was happy with his team’s competitiveness but admits he was disappointed not to have made finals.

“Staying up was never a factor, never a consideration, the side we had we were in a position to win a premiership,” he said.

“What we did struggle to do was adapt to one-day cricket, our bowling in particular, we were giving sides 15 to 20 extras each week.

“I’m disappointed because we beat Doutta Stars comfortably and there were four or fives games that we didn’t take our opportunities to win.

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“At my age you realise these types of opportunities don’t come around as often as you like them to and when you’ve got an opportunity you’re disappointed to miss it.”

Having stepped down as captain-coach, Moughanie will play on in search of a Senior Division premiership.

“I didn’t have a great year – I did get a hundred, which was nice – but for me the fire is still burning,” he said.

“I want to have a big season and now I don’t have to worry about anything else except turning up and playing, making as many runs as possible and winning that elusive Senior Division title.”