Cain Speakman (bowling) returns to Williamstown Cricket Club this year after a season out of the game. 12962_05. Picture: CONTRIBUTE By LIAM TWOMEY
WILLIAMSTOWN is launching into a new era ahead of the upcoming Victorian Sub District Cricket Association season.
Redevelopment work on the club’s home base in Morris Street is complete, meaning Williamstown players will no longer have to contend with indoor net training sessions, Sunday games and playing away from home every week.
Coach Brenton Hodges said the club would also have no more excuses on the field.
“We’ve been largely without a home base for the past two years. For six months we trained indoors and the first XI were on the road for two entire seasons,” Hodges said.
“Returning to our newly refurbished spiritual base will no doubt provide much more stability for players, administrators and of course our loyal supporters.”
That off-field stability will be complemented on the field by the recruitment of former Victorian and Western Australian opening bowler Matthew Innes who signed with the club as a player and development bowling coach.
Innes will be joined by the returning combination of Cain Speakman and Brendan Heaney who both took time away from the game during the 2011/12 season.
Heaney has previously played cricket in England in the Hertfordshire League and represented Richmond Cricket Club. Hodges is hoping his experience will complement Williamstown’s young playing group.
Rohan Crowle has also joined the club, crossing over from Altona while a number of Williamstown’s talented young players are testing their abilities at Premier Cricket level with Lachlan Broadway training with Footscray and Will Morrison heading across to Melbourne University.
However, Innes remains the big off-season inclusion and initially Hodges is hoping he can lead by example around the group.
“Having Matthew Innes come onboard also enables our players to access the knowledge, experience and professionalism of a former first class cricketer,” he said.
“Combined with the ground redevelopment, this is a huge bonus for the club, without even contemplating what Matt might do on the field.
“It will be a huge bonus for our younger players especially to watch a former professional cricketer go about his business, both at training and on match day.
“Once Matt’s work load… eases, he will no doubt take on more responsibility at training in terms of developing our young bowlers. Improving the fitness level and work ethic of our players is something we’ve been working on for two to three seasons.”
After playing off in a grand final two years ago, Williamstown won just three games last year in what was a disappointing result for the club.
Hodges is searching for more consistency this season particularly with the bat.
“Internally we have set some goals and key indicators geared towards improving our on field performance,” Hodges said.
“There is a certain way I’d like our players to approach their cricket and while I’m reluctant to go into this in detail, I won’t shy away from the fact that ultimately we as a club are all striving for finals’ appearances and premierships across all four senior grades. ”
