Yarraville Club makes ‘aggressive’ start to local cricket recruiting season

After falling short of the VTCA Senior Division grand final, Yarraville Club has made an “aggressive” start to the off-season recruiting campaign.

Matthew Doric appeals for a wicket for Brunswick. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Yarraville Club has made an “aggressive” start to the VTCA off-season.

The Senior Division semi-finalist has secured gun paceman Matthew Doric from Brunswick, Craigieburn captain Josh Eaton and 2022-23 Team of the Year all-rounder Viraj Lakshitha from Haig Fawkner.

The trio bolster a squad that finished third this season as Clubbers look to keep up with its premiership rivals.

“We’ve been quite aggressive with our recruiting,” Clubbers captain-coach Mitch Johnstone said.

“We had a consistent year, we only lost to two teams – Westmeadows once and Sydenham-Hillside three times.

Josh Eaton rolls the arm over for Craigieburn. Picture: Valeriu Campan

“We’ve looked at the grand final teams and where our deficiencies lie and also forced change with Jackson Martin moving on to Premier Cricket and Ash Sweet up in the air.”

Doric was ever-dangerous for Brunswick this season, snaring 34 wickets at an average of 15.06, while also showing his ability with the bat, hitting 215 runs at 30.71.

Eaton paced Craigieburn with 19 wickets, helping the Eagles avoid relegation with a starring role in the outright win over Sunshine United, taking 7-71 for the match.

In Division 1, Lakshitha impressed with bat and ball, finishing the season with 382 runs and 13 wickets, hitting 110 against West Coburg.

“Matt will give us that spearhead we’ve been looking for, Josh gives us a point of difference – he’s left-arm and slingy – and Viraj, we’ve had our eye on for a couple of years to be honest, I think he’s just a good all-round player,” Johnstone said.

“Doz is a competitor, his record in Premier Cricket speaks for itself.

“In the three years I was at Essendon he took 40 wickets every season, so you know what you’re going to get.

“Josh and I have crossed path a fair bit, obviously at the Bombers and I coached him in the Wizards under-18s many moons ago.

“I get on really well with him, we’ve also kept tabs on each other, and it’s usually fiery in the middle because he’s got too much intel on me so it will be good to have him on my side.

“We’ve added a fair bit from a bowling point of view, which we had to do.

“We coughed up 300 in the semi-final and I found myself, at times, doing a lot of extra work to fill some gaps so we feel like we’re more balanced heading into next season.”

Led by league-leading run-scorer Michael Hill (566 at 47.17), Clubbers ranked second in runs for and ranked fourth in wickets taken – narrowly ahead of Craigieburn.

Having graduated young spinner Martin to Premier Cricket club Essendon, the club isn’t forgetting its junior talent pathway.

Johnstone said the club had several young talents ready to make an impact at First XI level.

“We’re not forgetting about our kids, we had five or six teenagers make their debuts this season,” he said.

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“Jacob Jebara played one game in the Ones and hit the winning runs in the Seconds grand final, he’s one to watch as a seam bowling option.

“Josh Thorpe made a hundred in the Seconds, he’s a keeper-bat, and Sudhi Hosur had a consistent year opening the batting in the Twos and played in the Ones and the T20 stuff.

“These kids can learn from the likes of Lawf, Hilly and Doz, so it’s a really good breeding ground for them.”

Yarraville Club won the Quinn Shield Second XI premiership with a thrilling one-wicket win over Keilor.