By Marcus Uhe
Springvale South’s quest to avenge last season’s Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 1 grand final loss has gathered significant momentum through the signing of one of local cricket’s most coveted names this week.
Nick Boland, the brother of Australian Test cricketer, Scott, will bolster the Bloods’ bowling attack in 2024/25, having stepped away from his Victorian Premier Cricket career.
Boland brings nearly a decade of Premier Cricket experience to Alex Nelson Reserve, having made his senior debut for Frankston Peninsula back in the summer of 2015/16.
He solidified his place in the Heat’s First XI in the 2017/18 season before switching to Prahran Cricket Club ahead of the 2020/21 season.
He took 29 wickets at 23.2 that summer and was a critical piece of Prahran’s premiership-winning side, a team skippered by Berwick’s Jake Hancock that downed Tom Donnell and Brett Forysth’s Dandenong.
Last summer he took 24 wickets at 20.6 at First XI level, including 4/78 in Prahran’s preliminary final loss to eventual premiers, Carlton.
He had previously represented Parkdale in Turf 2 back in 2014/15.
On top of their latest big name signing, the Bloods last week announced a raft of premiership players that have recommitted for another campaign in attempt to make it three Turf 1 premierships in four years.
Paul Hill will once again lead the side as a playing-coach, while Wookey Medal winner Jordan Wyatt will continue to strike fear into opposition bowling attacks in the top order.
Joining Hill and Wyatt in recommitting is last season’s leading wicket taker Jarryd Straker, 2021/22 Wookey Medal runner-up Blade Baxter, Josh Dowling, Jackson Sketcher, Mitch Forsyth and Jordan Mackenzie.
Earlier in the offseason, Ryan Quirk and Cameron Forsyth pledged their commitment to the club, with Forysth replacing Quirk as First XI captain.
All rounder Yoshan Kumara, meanwhile, has departed.
The Bloods blew the chance to become the first side in DDCA history to win three First XI premierships last summer when a golden season came unstuck at the final hurdle against Buckley Ridges on grand final day.
With Boland adding to the pace attack, expect them to be one of the teams to beat once again next summer.
