By ADEM SARICAOGLU
WITH a win-loss record of 1-4 halfway through December, Williamstown CYMS’s summer looked to be in serious jeopardy.
The CYs were hoping to redeem themselves this season after losing their place in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association’s Senior Division the previous summer.
Facing a possible second consecutive relegation, Williamstown CYMS rallied, and have since won three on the trot.
Assistant coach Andrew Leetat said the team has gelled and slowly adapted to a new game plan in recent weeks.
“We were in all four games but couldn’t convert, and that’s probably been the difference in the last three games, being able to convert and coming together as a team,” Leetat said.
“It’s probably taken a little bit to adapt to this year’s game plan, but that seems to be coming together now.”
The change in form seems to have coincided with the return of key personnel who missed chunks of cricket at the start of the season through injury, including leg spinner Fletcher Henry with a groin complaint.
But Leetat insists his side has made the most of introducing younger talent into the senior ranks.
“We did have a couple of concerns just before Christmas with Andrew Walshe and Daryl Clemson, but they’re back in the side now,” Leetat said.
“There’s been some movement with the younger players coming through, so that seems to be working OK.
“We’ve just got to find that right balance, but we’re still probably a game or so away from having our best side on the park.”
The CYs quickly went from preseason expectations of making finals to suddenly going into survival mode, but the recent resurgence has restored Leetat’s faith that finals are well within reach.
He said the current 4-4 record was about where he expected the club to be after eight games.
But to ensure success later in the summer he said the bowling needed to improve and match the quality of the batting.
“Batting-wise we seem to be posting decent scores this year – which is something we struggled with last year,” Leetat said.
“So it’s just more about our bowling consistency and making sure we bowl to our plans and restricting teams, which we have been able to do in the past three weeks.
“But that is coming together.”
