Turf 1 is finally here with the season opener only a few sleeps away.
STAR NEWS GROUP reporter TYLER LEWIS has spoken to all eight clubs in order to develop a deeper understanding of where each club sits ahead of this summer…
BERWICK
Captain: James Wilcock
Most recent: 2019/20
Last season: The Bears finished the home and away season in second, before falling out of the finals in straight sets.
The experienced list ran out of fuel at the pointy end of the season after a home and away period that grossed nine wins.
Most runs: Jordan Cleland (366 at 28.15, two x half-centuries)
Most wickets: James Wilcock (30 wickets at 16.47, BB: 5/39)
Ins: Jake Hancock (Prahran)
Outs: Brodie Emmett (season off)
What we say:
The Bears will take enormous confidence out of the fact that when two-day cricket was a typical way of life they were the benchmark.
New addition Jake Hancock is going to make a pile of runs, particularly in the longer format.
Matt Chasemore is recovering better than expected after pectoral surgery in March of last season and is looking to be back in the navy blue this summer.
With Hancock and Chasemore, the line-up with the stick is beyond promising.
What they say (coach Brad James):
“The improvement will come in the development of the younger blokes who are pushing through,” he said.
“They’ve had some good times with ‘Cheeks’ (Matt Chasemore) and now they’re having a good time with Jake (Hancock).
“We will take a lot of confidence in because even last year we recruited for a red-ball season, so now we finally get to go back to that, we’re extremely excited about the prospect of playing two-dayers again.
“The injuries were freak injuries, they weren’t from being under conditioned… we have been training all the same and we’ll be fine, we’ll be fit.”
Round 1: v St Mary’s at Arch Brown Reserve
