Torquay changes strengths in GCA2 premiership run

Torquay captain Terry Hill says his side can win the GCA2 premiership this season after new recruits have bolstered the side’s batting depth so far this summer.

Cricket . GCA2: Torquay v St PeterÕs. Torquay bowler Gurpreet Singh Picture: Mark Wilson

Torquay captain Terry Hill says his side can win the GCA2 premiership this season after new recruits have bolstered the side’s batting depth so far this summer.

The Tigers have started the season with three wins from their first five games, with the second-most runs scored to start the year.

Hill said he had been really pleased with his side’s scoring ability, but conceding the third-most runs in the league would be costly as the season progressed.

Torquay is in the middle of a logjam of four GCA2 sides sitting on three wins, with the Tigers fourth on the ladder at the mid-season break.

Geelong City leads all comers after an undefeated run to Christmas.

“It’s been an interesting year for us because we are traditionally a strong bowling side, and this year I feel like our batting is our strong point,” Hill said.

Cricket. GCA2: Torquay v St PeterÕs.Torquay bowler Gurpreet SinghPicture: Mark Wilson

“I think we’ve just got to get a bit better with our bowling, but that’s a really big positive for me because I know that we have the bowlers at our disposal.

“We just need to bowl better, if we can get our bowling right at this stage of the year, we’ll be very hard to beat.”

All-rounder Gurpreet Singh has been dominant for the Tigers so far this season, scoring 258 runs at an average of 51.6 while also taking 10 wickets, but Thomas Dunn and new coach Leigh Kentish have also reached 100 runs through the first five games.

Hill said Singh had been impressive so far this season, but the consistency of the side was the key to the side’s success this year.

“We’ve started the way we expected to start, I think we would’ve liked to go into the break 4-1 but we’re 3-2 and I feel like we’ve got a really strong side that can actually challenge this year,” he said.

“Everyone wants to finish in the top two, but we want to make finals because you can win it from anywhere once you get in.

“It’s pretty tight up the top, there are some good sides there, but with the way our guys are playing we’re really excited to have a chance to win it.

“Gurpreet has taken a step from last year and really taken his game to the next level, I think he’s been pretty special to watch, he’s definitely our barometer this year.”

Before the GCA resumes on January 14, Torquay will step out on Monday for the annual Battle of the Bridge exhibition against BPCA neighbours Jan Juc.

The day will begin with a legends T20 at 3pm, followed by the main clash at 6pm.

Originally published as Torquay changes strengths in GCA2 premiership run