By Nick Creely
Dandenong Cricket Club has announced Nick Speak as the new Head Coach for the 2016/17 season.
Speak, 49, has an impressive cricket resume, enjoying a decorated and successful career spanning 15 years in the first class arena.
Representing both Durham and Lancashire in County Cricket in the UK, Speak amassed 15 centuries across a 177 game career, before retiring at the end of 2001 season.
He brings wisdom and knowledge to a club that struggled on-field last season, finishing 10th in the Premier Firsts competition.
Speak briefly spent time as a player at Dandenong before returning for the English season.
On a coaching sense, Speak has endured a successful stint as Assistant Coach/Batting Coach of Melbourne Cricket Club.
The new coach recently spoke to the Dandenong website and said he was excited about the challenge of guiding the strong club, leaving the ceiling high for what they can achieve this season.
“Top six, but top four would be nice”, Speak said in regards to the club championship.
Speak has already set challenges for his club, and in particular the batting group that struggled at times last season.
“Fifteen hundreds to 20 hundreds, but there is no ceiling on that figure”, Speak said.
Dandenong is currently in the midst of a series of pre-season practice matches before starting its season on 30 September against Footscray Edgewater at Shepley Oval.
