We’ve dug deep to preview the 2023-24 Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association season. Here’s a look at Sub-District clubs, with ins, outs and young guns to watch.
BALLAM PARK
Coach: Gary Lewis
Captain: Zac Clements
Vice captain: Will Borthwick
Recruit: Brock Byrne (Lynbrook)
Out: Pradeep De Silva
2023-24 expectations: The Knights had five wins last season but can improve on that, with young gun Will Borthwick fit and firing and skipper Zac Clements set to back up his 405-run season. Rob Fisher, Ezra Hughes and Gav Lawrence are also tipped for good seasons.
Young gun to watch: Thomas Baron, a 15-year-old leg spinner, has a bright future. Quick through the air and has good control. Took 14 wickets in the ones last season and has returned bigger and stronger.
BONEO
Coach: Jason Albress
Captain: Jack Beale
Vice captain: Jarvis Andersen
Ins: Jackson Brown (Dromana), Josh Adcock (Dromana), Sam Storey (UK)
2023-24 expectations: Semi-finalists last season, the Pandas are set to take another step forward this season. Englishman Sam Storey is a great pick up; he’s a bowling all-rounder who, according to coach Jason Albress, “let’s them go a bit’’. Sri Lankan Shihan Dilasri Lokubandara, who made a ton against Skye last season, is a gun ‘keeper and batter. Expect Boneo’s batting to be stronger. All in all, the Pandas will be young, well-prepared and tough to beat.
Youngsters to watch: Tommy Peet — all-rounder, his bowling last year really took off. Bats well too.
Trent Watson — got Boneo over the line in a couple of close ones last season with some vital lower order innings.
FRANKSTON YCW
Coach: Simon Draycott
Recruits: Simon Draycott (Frankston Peninsula), Josh Edwards (Frankston Peninsula)
Out: Neil Barfuss (Heatherhill)
2023-24 expectations: After nine seasons as Heat fourth XI captain, Draycott is dipping his toe in the coaching waters at local level. He will lead a young and talented Stonecats side, which will rely on Jack Greenwood, who confirmed his status as one of the best players in the comp last season with 538 runs, at 48.9, including two centuries. Look for ex-Langwarrin and Heat batter Josh Edwards to pile on the runs, while Liam Greenwood will be a key contributor with the ball.
Young gun to watch: Ben Williams grabbed key wickets and made handy runs as YC rattled home last season, winning their last six games. Look for a big season from Willo.
HASTINGS
Captain-coach: Tim Birch
Out: Thomas Finn (Main Ridge)
2023-24 expectations: The Blues have appointed favourite son Tim Birch as captain-coach and the great Vincent Booth has taken over as president. Birch is a two-time 1st XI premiership player for Hastings, a club champion and team of the decade member. His appointment has created a buzz at the Blues, who were relegated from MPCA District after a winless season. Hastings hasn’t been able to land recruits, but is holding out hope a gun player from Qatar might join them. Birch is upbeat. “We’ve still got some handy types, they just need a bit of guidance,’’ he said.
Youngsters to watch: Ryan Regan — bowler, strong hitter…bowls a bit above medium pace.
Patrick Wilson — very talented.
MT MARTHA
Captain-Coach: Ben Stallworthy
Recruit: Evan Williams (English player)
Losses: Mikis Vemis (Frankston Peninsula)
2023-24 expectations: The Reds are ready to roar. After finishing runners-up last season, they are going all out to win the premiership, assembling a strong, well-balanced side. Their latest signing, Lancashire Premier League left-handed opening batsmen Evan Williams, is set to play a key role. He’s coming off a stunning English season with Greenmount, amassing 1053 runs, at 50.1, as well as taking 30 wickets, at 23.1. Williams has played in Australia before; he opened the batting for Lindisfarne in the Cricket Tasmania Premier League last summer. He joins fellow Lancashire Premier League paceman Tom Walker at Mt Martha. Walker was brilliant last season, taking 36 wickets at 11.83 with sheer pace, and he accompanied that tally with 269 runs at 20 with the bat.
Young guns to watch: Finn Vemis — showed a lot of promise with the bat last season.
Charlie Caldecott — leg spinner played a lot of ones last season, at only 15. Good kid, he backs himself…he’s adapted to the standard.
PEARCEDALE
Captain-coach: Josh Swainston
Assistant coach: Mark Prosser
Recruit: Bailey Henderson
2023-24 expectations: Pearcedale beat Mt Martha last season in what turned out to be its only win. The Dales are coming from a long way back but they do have some quality. Skipper Josh Swainston is one of the best players in Subbies, as he proved last season when he cracked 593 runs and took 19 wickets. Beau Scoble is a promising paceman and keeper-batter Nathan Prosser will be a key player.
Young gun to watch: Jett Williams is a talent with bat and ball and can take another step this season.
RYE
Director of Coaching: Brett Mathews
Captain/Coach: Nathan Hunt
Recruits: Ella Hilton, Jacob Long (Tootgarook)
Lost: Lachie Ryan (Tootgarook)
2023-24 expectations: The Demons weren’t far off finals last season and they did play off in the T20 final. Expect more of the same in 2023-24. Camberwell Magpies batting star Chris Thewlis will again play the T20s and possibly a bit in the regular season. Spinner Ravi Palleguruge nabbed 35 wickets and made 408 runs last season and will again be a key figure. Skipper Nathan Hunt showed his class with almost 400 runs last season.
Young guns to watch: Justin Barnes — opened the bowling for the past two seasons, only 17.
Tyson Barnes — played ones at just 14 last season…batsman, stack of promise…he likes to take on the opening bowlers, charge them, impressive.
SKYE
Coaches: Lee Vowles, Daryl Grayson
Captain: David Dervan
In: Shabaaz Alam, Ajab Durrani, Sunny Sandy
Lost: Patrick Beckham (Pearcedale), Jahanzaib Athar, Azhar Zeeshan
2023-24 expectations: Skye has added more than 20 players as it looks to strengthen. Great to see David Dervan take the captaincy reins after smashing more than 1000 runs in the lower grades last season. “We’ll probably have about six Sri Lankans in the side,’’ coach Lee Vowles said. “One of the boys we’ve got coming over has played minor county cricket for Oxfordshire. Another lad from Pakistan has played premier cricket in Islamabad.’’
Young guns to watch: 20yo Owais Dawood bowls left-arm medium pace and took some big scalps last season.
TOOTGAROOK
Coach: Jason Lane
Captain: Matt Whelan
Recruits: Scott Sterling, Anthony Craddock, Lachy Ryan (Rye)
Losses: Cam Chrystie (Moorooduc), Jacob Long (Rye)
2023-24 expectations: The Frogs made the semi-finals last season. Expect more of the same in 2023-24, with Matthew Whelan and Travis French — who scored almost 1000 runs between them last season — to again spearhead the batting. Corey De Bruyn, with 30 wickets last season, is set for another big season. The return of Scott Sterling will strengthen the side; he’s a proven century maker.
Young guns to watch: Robert Hobbs, Lachy Ryan.
TYABB
Director of coaching: Stuart Swift
Captain: Justin Bridgeman
Recruit: Justin Bridgeman (Long Island)
2023-24 expectations: After narrowly missing finals last season, the Yabbies look set to be a major contender under the captaincy MPCA champion Justin Bridgeman. Last season’s skipper Rob Hearn is playing and will bat and keep, while the Holland-Burch brothers, Sam and James, will play key roles, along with Paul Nelson and Malith Chathuranga.
Young gun to watch: 19yo Lachie Hose played every game in the ones last season and took 19 wickets with his left-arm finger spin.
Originally published as MPCA 2023-24: Mt Martha and Boneo add overseas recruits ahead of Sub-District season