By Marcus Uhe
HALLAM KALORA PARK
LAST SEASON: 4th
COMING: Ryan Hillard, Damith Perera (Greenvale), Austin Fardell (Fitzroy-Doncaster)
GOING: Charith Keerthsigne (North Dandenong), Matt Cox (retired), Ciaron Connolly (Lyndale)
STAYING: William Whyte, Leigh Booth, Jordan Hammond, Mahela Udawatte, Ben Hillard, Lee Brown, Lauchlan Gregson
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Jordan Hammond, Mahela Udewatte, Damith Perera
The Hawks are set to embark on somewhat of a regeneration this season, with a pair of premiership-winning veterans making way for some younger talent.
With Matt Cox dropping the playing component from his title of player-coach and Ciaron Connolly returning to his junior club of Lyndale, the Hawks have filled their vacancies with fresh talent.
27-year-old Damith Perera will fill Connolly’s void with the gloves, having been a mainstay in the Kangaroos’ line-up for much of last season and coming into his prime as a cricketer.
Austin Fardell, meanwhile, returns to Hallam after a year of playing Fourth XI cricket at Fitzroy-Doncaster last summer, where he made 540 runs at 36 with two hundreds.
Jordan Hammond remains one of the best cricketers in the competition and will captain the Hawks again this summer, but he needs more support around him with both bat and ball.
Mahela Udawatte, meanwhile, can rip games from sides like few in the competition, and no one who was at Hallam for the elimination final will forget the stunning innings he played to nearly drag his side over the line from nowhere against Narre South.
These two will be the biggest names on the opposition whiteboard when sides plan for the Hawks, with Udawatte’s wicket of particular significance.
Leigh Booth remains a run machine but dipped last summer from his previous highs, and it’s hoped that Perera will live up to his end of the bargain.
Lee Brown will shoulder the spinning burden with Charith Keerthsigne making the switch to North Dandenong, required to bowl long overs to spell the rest of the attack.
Hallam Kalora Park finds itself at somewhat of a crossroads this summer, having failed to break into the top two for two years running now.
They got the better of Buckley Ridges in a significant two-day win at home, but was humiliated by Springvale South at Alex Nelson Reserve in a terrible performance in coloured clothing in the first contest after the Christmas break that really set them back.
Expect them to be around the mark again as a side generally hard to beat at home, but whether they can take the next step will be the biggest question hanging over Hawk heads.
