Tara Murray
Yarraville Club is aiming to build on the success of last season’s Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior premiership.
After not having many expectations heading into last season, the Clubbers fired at the right time of the season to claim the premiership.
Now having kept most of its team together and added another two key pieces, the Clubbers will again be in the frame for the top four.
Clubbers captain-coach Mitch Johnstone said it had been a really good pre-season and the group was ready to go again.
“It has come around quickly,” he said. “We’ve had really good numbers with 40-plus for the indoor sessions.
“We’re looking to have five senior teams which is really good. There’s a lot of kids who have physically and technically come on.”
The Clubbers made a couple of moves early on, signing former Victorian Premier Cricket Michael Hill, while Nathan Johnson has crossed from the Druids.
Johnstone said having the pair join the club had rounded off their squad nicely. Johnson has only just finished his football commitments and is now joining the squad fully.
“Hilly has been really good for the young batters,” he said. “He’s just finished up at premier cricket, where the others have been out of higher cricket for three, four, five years.
“He’s been serving an eye over the kids and making sure they are working hard.”
On the other side the Clubbers have lost Lachlan Campbell and Heath Beveridge to premier cricket, which Johnstone said they knew was coming.
Young star Jackson Martin will spend another season at the Clubbers though. Martin took 22 wickets last season.
“He’s grown a little bit,” Johnstone said of his spinning mate. “He will do one more year with us and then look to greater heights.
“He is a known player now having played the whole year.”
Johnstone said they would aim to continue to promote youth through the ranks and give them goes at higher levels.
Aydin Huseyin and Mathieson King are two to keep an eye on according to Johnstone.
“One of the rounds last year we had 21 of the 44 players who were all teenagers,” Johnstone said.
While the Clubbers go in as reigning premiers, Johnstone said there would be plenty competition this season.
He said the format of nine two-dayers and three one-dayers would suit the side.
“You need to just jag a spot in the top four, which is what we did last year,” he said.
“We weren’t the best team all year and managed to sneak in and win two finals.”
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