By Marcus Uhe
Dandenong Cricket Club has announced Tom Donnell as its new coach for the next two Premier Cricket seasons.
A veteran of the competition, Donnell brings a wealth of playing experience to the role, having played 20 years of the competition and accumulating 12,000 runs in the process.
“Tom is a Life Member of the Dandenong Cricket Club and now takes on the position of head coach with great enthusiasm, passion, and a vision for the future,” the club said.
“A mentor in his own right, Tom will ensure that all players develop, be competitive and most importantly, enjoy their cricket.”
It’s a tall task for the opening batter, with the proud club coming off one of its worst seasons in recent history, finishing 16th with just two wins.
Donnell replaces Dandenong premiership winning coach Warren Ayres, who resigned from his position in January, before Glenn Marinic took the reigns in an interim capacity for the remainder of the season.
Donnell and captain Brett Forsyth have been mainstays at the top of the Panthers’ order for a number of years, and were once again their two leading run-scorers in the 2022/23 season, with 463 and 615, respectively.
