By Luke D’Anello
HOPPERS Crossing has landed a coup after signing Daryl Brown as senior coach.
Brown played three one-day internationals for West Indies in the 2001/02 season and has taken to the field for Victorian Turf Cricket Association (VTCA) Senior Division clubs Keilor and Airport West St Christopher’s more recently.
Brown replaces Trent Said, who resigned because of personal reasons, in the top job.
Said, who led Hoppers Crossing to the North Division premiership last season – the first flag won the Cats’ top team in 21 years – will play on.
This year, the Cats will step up to the top competition.
“We were always targeting Daryl as a recruiting option anyway, so it’s probably worked out in our favour,” Hoppers Crossing president Steve McNamara said.
“Obviously it’s not the ideal way that we wanted it to happen, but having Daryl there, who has coaching experience and was certainly on our radar, probably made it a bit easier.
“He’s certainly well experienced in that top level of cricket.”
The club first spoke to Brown, a Point Cook resident, in early February.
Brown has spearheaded premiership teams in the VTCA previously and possesses leadership credentials.
“He’s a fabulous leader and he has a real presence about him. He sort of walks in a room and people stop and look. His leadership credentials are fantastic. Guys just really want to play for him,” McNamara said.
“We did a fair bit of research and that was the general consensus.
“He’s still fairly quick with the ball and certainly a destructive batsman as well.”
