By David Nagel
Emerald Cricket Club will field a young and exciting team in the WGCA District competition this season – looking to be competitive but with one eye firmly fixed on the future.
Captain Owen Thorne is hoping to inject some youthful enthusiasm into his team, in what’s sure to be a tough competition against Devon Meadows, Lang Lang, Officer, Pakenham Upper-Toomuc and Upper Beaconsfield.
Thorne, an Emerald junior, who left the club and returned a few seasons back, is excited about the season ahead.
“We’ve lost a few senior players but it gives the opportunity for the young guys that were fringe players to put their hand up and come through the system,” Throne said.
“They’ll get the opportunity to make some runs and hopefully cement their spot in the ones.
“It’s very exciting to be back on the paddock and playing cricket again…just seeing mates again…it’s awesome.”
Thorne said Emerald had made a deliberate decision to focus in on its juniors.
“The young guys coming through the ranks is probably the most exciting thing for the club,” Thorne said.
“We’ve sat down as a committee and coaching group and our strong focus is on pushing the younger players coming through the under-16s into senior cricket, and giving them the opportunity to rise as high as their talent and commitment will take them.
“It’s also about giving them the right guidance so they take over leadership roles from blokes like myself and Marshy (Clinton Marsh).”
Thorne said he was confident his team would adapt better to the challengers of one-day cricket this season.
“Our batting is suited more to two-day cricket, we have players who like to stay at the crease and take their time.
“The change needed to happen, so we need to adapt, but I’m more worried about just playing cricket rather than worrying if it’s a one or two-dayer.
“Everyone is in the same position. As a club we decided to have a good net session on Saturday, instead of playing a practice match, so we could get together as a club and all get a hit and have a bowl.”
Thorne said that despite being young, he was more than confident of being competitive.
“You go into every season hoping to play finals and that’s what we’re pushing for, so hopefully we get up and about early and snag a place in finals,” he said.
“But we also understand that we have a very young squad and it’s about being patient and developing those young ones this season.”
