All the player and coach appointments ahead of the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association season
Another season of Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association action nearly here and we’ve got all the player recruits and coaching appointments so far.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association season is nearly here and so far plenty of clubs have announced their new recruits and shrewd coaching appointments.
There have been some players jump from one BPCA club to another while others have arrived via the GCA, from Melbourne or even overseas.
Get all the big BPCA moves so far.
Queenscliff
Men’s senior coach: Hayden Illingworth
Signing on for the next two seasons, Illingworth joins the Coutas after a fine career at St Peter’s scoring more than 4500 runs as a top order batter while winning a GCA2 first grade premiership in 2021/22.
Illingworth will replace Frank Mileto after guiding the club to a finals finish.
COACHING STRUCTURE:
Senior women’s coach: Cameron Milnes.
Barrabool
IN:
Michael Kelson (Grovedale)
OUT:
Finn Peel (Bannockburn)
RETURNING:
Ed Morrison (UK)
COACHIN STRUCTURE:
Senior men’s co-coaches: James Fisher and Michael Kelson
Senior women’s senior coach: Jane Neil
Assistant coach: Ed Morrison
The club says:
“I felt we had quite a strong list last year, we were pretty disappointed to get knocked out in the semi-final.
“I’ll try to replace (Peel) with the ball and offer a bit with the bat, ‘Kelso’ will be another top order bat for us.
“It’ll make us bat even deeper than last year.
“’Kelso’ coming on board adds that extra wise head and voice.
“Just another head that’s been around cricket a long time.
“He looks after batting, I can look after the bowling side of things, and a few others chiming in for the fielding.
“We’re keeping it pretty simple, we know we were close last year, tighten a few things up and we’ll be looking to push again this year.
“I don’t think the competition’s ever been tighter, it’s really going to be a good competition I reckon.”
James Fisher, senior men’s coach
Anglesea
IN:
Ben Harcombe (Alexander Thomson)
Ollie and Will Huby (St Joseph’s)
OUT:
Joey Lynch (Darwin)
COACHING STRUCTURE:
Senior men's coach: Bryan Thomas
Senior men’s captain: Dylan Taylor
Senior women’s coach: Jarrod Taylor
The club says:
“(Harcombe, Ollie and Will Huby) are all-rounders, and they bring a bit of youth and vibrancy to the team.
“Bryan Thomas was also a big influence.
“They wanted to come and play under Bryan, they’d heard good things about his coaching.
“He’s been good for the club the last three years.
“We’ve had really good numbers, averaging about 25 the whole pre-season.”
Dylan Taylor, senior men’s captain
Jan Juc
IN:
Eddie Cole (Merrivale CC)
RETURNING:
Oscar Crocker
OUT:
Brody Andrew (moved to Melbourne)
Senior men’s captain/coach: Nick Hyden
Re-committing for the next two seasons, Hyden won the A Grade’s Ray Menzies Medal last summer with 558 runs while leading the club to another top flight grand final.
COACHING STRUCTURE:
Senior women’s assistant coach: Cara Powers
Senior women’s captain: Georgie Fogarty
The club says:
“I expect to see some natural progression from our young players, Henry Harris, Finn Bilston and Kai Powers.
“All got a taste of A Grade last year and I expect they’ll play important roles for us this season.”
“Our goal like every side is to qualify for finals and give ourselves the best chance at winning two finals.
“Previous seasons we have fallen short in the final game and that drives this group to go one step further.
“The competition this year will be stronger again so we will need to play well to achieve that.”
Nick Hyden, senior men’s captain and coach
Armstrong Creek
IN:
James Beasley (North Shore CC)
Beasley cames across to the Titans from GCA4 after compiling 433 runs last summer at an average of 30 — in line with his career average across 200 games, with a highest score of 200.
Sam Stoneley
Coming with plenty of GCA experience, the big hitting all-rounder has a highest score of 136 and best bowling figures of 7/41.
Matt Kennedy (North Geelong, Newtown & Chilwell, South Barwon)
Kennedy also comes across with multiple years of GCA1 experience at South Barwon and North Geelong as a top order bat and bowler when required.
OUT:
Brandon Ross (Modwarre)
RETURNING:
Dylan Flanigan
COACHING STRUCTURE:
Senior men’s coach: Daniel Maclean
Senior men’s assistant coaches: Jason Robertson, Matt Kennedy
“We’ve been up and down with numbers during pre-season, but it’s starting to ramp itself up.
“We’re just excited to get into it and see where the season’s going to take us, we’ll start to make some plans from there.
Daniel Maclean, senior men’s coach
Ocean Grove
IN:
Shane Van Den Nouwland
The former fourth grade Geelong Cricket Club captain boasts a highest score of 155 against Kingston Hawthorn.
Tom Hobbs
From Barwon Heads, the open has a highest score of 125.
Luke Ballard
The former Werribee Centrals player boasts the best bowling figures of 9/16.
Alex Mann
Had stints at both West Ivanhoe, Torquay and most recently Portarlington where he took 18 wickets at an average of 15.5 last summer.
Ned Thorley
Thorley returns to the club after a stint with Marshall in the GCA last season.
Tommy Kent
Returning to the club after a stint with Guild St Mary’s in the GCA, Kent took 18 wickets at 17.22 last summer.
Suman Shrestha
Currently playing for Clifton Village in Nottinghamshire where was averaging in the 70s earlier in the year.
Senior men’s coach: Robbie Rutley.
St Leonards
IN:
Nalaka De Silva
Bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge, De Silva made 400 runs and took 14 wickets last summer with Diggers Rest Bulla Village.
RETURNING:
Kaniska ‘Kenny’ Nawagamuwa
The all-rounder is expected to be a solid asset for the first grade team, with a best haul of 6/43 last summer and highest score of 98.
Making 405 runs and averaging 33.75, he was named in the BPCA team of the year.
Shanaka Kethbevliage
Last season’s most valuable player in A Grade, Kethbevilage was a crucial part of the club’s top flight with 18 wickets, including a six-wicket haul against Ocean Grove.
Senior men’s captain and coach: Steve Grey
Drysdale
IN:
Andrew Spengler (Newcomb and Districts)
An aggressive top order batter with attacking flair, he made his GCA debut at just 16 and boasts a highest score of 283 at GCA2 level.
RETURNING
Senior men’s captain/coach: Rob Cutajar
Returning to the Nest last summer, Cutajar played in the A Grade after a stint with St Leonards, and will replace Nick Hallam who will remain at the club as a top order batter.
Senior men’s assistant coach: Blake Dobbin
Taking 7/49 in last year’s grand final, Dobbin will assist senior men’s coach Cutajar, bringing a tough edge to their bowling line up.
OUT:
Will Ritchie (Highton)
Peter Davidson (retired)
The club says:
“We’ve had good numbers from the start, things are looking good.
“We’ll have a second B grade team this year which will consist of a 2-2 senior players mixed in with juniors.
“We’ve also got our first women’s side too.
“I’ve just told the blokes to relax and enjoy themselves, there’s no pressure.
“Do pre-season and we’ll do one game at a time.
“There’s no point looking to finals, it’s just one game at a time and go from there.
“I love Drysdale, it’s a great club.
Rob Cutajar, senior men’s coach
Winchelsea
IN:
Shane Murdoch (Bell Park)
Luke Lenehan (Golden Point)
Cameron Watson (St Georges CC)
OUT:
John Mansbridge (overseas)
COACHING STRUCTURE:
Senior men’s coach: Shane Murdoch
The club says:
“With the appointment of Shane as coach we are looking to continue developing our young group and challenge again for finals in our 165th year of the club.”
James Stephenson, president.
Wallington
IN:
Nick Adamson (Horsham)
The top order batter makes his return to cricket after a few seasons away from the game, last playing in Horsham.
Adam Bovell (Bell Post Hill)
Another top order batter, Bovell also returns to the game after a couple of seasons off
Jeewantha Ranasinghe (Newcomb Bulls)
Daniel Williams (Gorseinon CC)
A wicket keeper batter, Williams is the club’s overseas player and hails from Skewen in Wales where he plays for Gorseinon Cricket Club.
Henry McIntosh (Cairns)
Taylor Cameron (Thomson)
Originally from Wallington, the opening bowler returns to the club after a few seasons in the GCA.
RETURNING:
Sven Burluraux
New to the club last summer, Burluraux will open for the A Grade one again and assist players at training on their technique and mental application.
COACHING STRUCTURE:
Senior men’s captain and coach: Matt Sampson-Barnes
Senior men’s assistant coach: Craig Hillgrove
Senior men’s bowling coach: Damien Biemans
Senior men’s fielding coach: Luke Robertson
Senior women’s coach: Wal Smith
The club says:
“We have recruited reasonably well, right the way through the club and we are looking forward to the coming season.
“We have a lot of new faces and are excited at what that will bring.
“As a playing group, we are hoping to give back to the committee and countless volunteers that are working to improve Wallington Cricket Club.
“Our overall goal for the coming season is to play finals.
Matthew Sampson-Barnes, senior men’s coach
Collendina
IN:
Stan Grazotis (Marshall)
A premiership player in the GCA, Grzotis is a handy all-rounder with a highest score of 83 and the best figures of 3/5.
RETURNING:
Corey Walter
After five seasons with Marshall, of the club’s most decorated players returns to the Snake Pit.
Senior men’s captain and coach: Nathan Frye
RETURNING:
Ben Ricardo (Alexander Thomson)
Luke Buckland (Alexander Thomson)
The club says:
“Once Corey (Walter) was coming back, Stan (Grazotis) was pretty keen to come as well.
“It’s been great to get him as well.
“We’ve got some amazing juniors coming through as well, including Aidan Foard and Jack Every.
“They’re all six months older, and six inches taller, we’re pretty hopeful they’re going to take another step in the right direction.”
Nathan Frye, senior men’s coach
Inverleigh
IN:
Mason Dickson (Bacchus Marsh)
Campbell Bishop (Barwon Heads, Newtown & Chilwell)
OUT:
Jasper George (South Barwon)
Logan Haberfield (East Belmont)
RETURNING:
David Peel, Nathan Pisani, Locke Perrett
COACHING STRUCTURE:
Senior men’s coach: David Peel
The club says:
“We’ve eased into it really because there’s a fair chunk of our list that’s involved at Inverleigh (Football Club).
“We’re just building.
“I’ll be an in because I didn’t play at all last season. I ruptured my Achilles halfway through last year’s football season.
“So I didn’t get any cricket in.”
David Peel, senior men’s coach
Newcomb
IN:
Scott Kiddle (Queenscliff, Ocean Grove)
Shaun McCallister (Katunga)
OUT:
Jeewantha Ranasinghe (Wallington)
COACHING STRUCTURE:
Senior men’s captain and coach: Shane Healey
“We did some indoor sessions, right back in July.
“We had a few new faces floating around as well, so we wanted to get started early.
“We just want to be really competitive, fight right until the end in all games.
“Give yourself enough chances, the wins will hopefully come. Just being in games for long times and putting the opposition under pressure.”
Shane Healey, senior men’s coach
More Coverage
Originally published as All the player and coach appointments ahead of the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association season
Join the conversation
AFL player charged with rape and sexual assault
An AFL player has been charged with rape and a string of other serious sexual offences, with the alleged offending occurring in the Geelong area. A second man has also been charged.
Read more
CFA defends denying water supply to Surf Coast brigade
The Country Fire Authority has defended its decision to not connect a Surf Coast fire brigade to water after a petition to state parliament was launched by an aspiring politician.
Read more