IT hasn’t been the ideal start to the year for Casterton District which has managed just the one win in the first half of the season, but all hope is not lost.

The Maroons have shown glimpses this year and despite sitting on the bottom of the ladder, are hoping to turn their season around and push towards the top end of the table.

Rick Killey is having a breakout season with bat and ball and has been huge in the last couple games scoring 127 not out and 78 – resulting in a narrow loss and solid win.

Captain, Kane Forbes said the team has a pretty young side this year which has worked in both positive and negative ways.

The T20 games at the start of the year proved a difficult task for the side as they scored more than 80 in just two of their six games.

“It’s been a bit of a tricky start to the year to digest with all the T20s at the start, it was a great change and something that had to happen, unfortunately it probably drew out too long (and) our form was extremely inconsistent,” Forbes said.

“In terms of results, we want to be better than 1-8, we showed glimpses especially in the last couple games, it’s about being consistent.”

The skipper said Rick Killey “went to another level” this year with some huge knocks that have almost pushed the side to victory.

“Rick is a fantastic cricketer, we’ve known it for a number of years but now he’s just starting to get some recognition from the association,” he said.

“Normally he bowls well without luck, but this year he’s had some luck and got reward for effort, his game has gone to another level in terms of his batting and how he goes about his innings.

“Touching on our inexperience and youth, we need that steady head, he’s obviously not the president this year as well as not captaining, it’s helped his cricket tenfold.

There have been some exciting youngsters who have shown signs of things to come this season but are just lacking a bit of polish and experience.

“I think a couple of our kids have really come on but not taken it to the next level when it comes game day, Sully Gibbs is one, he’s taken the gloves, it’s a mental thing with him, he’s got all the shots and a good technique,” Forbes said.

 “Will Jackson with the ball, left armer who has a really nice action and has taken some early wickets, he’s bowled really well but it’s going to be about consistency with him.

“Another one who is a bit older is Connor Kelly, in the last couple games he’s batted at number three and batted really well, hopefully he can take that with both hands and if Rick fails at the top of the order, he can anchor the innings.

Forbes said he expected the side to pull together some better performances in the second half of the year with the 45 over games.

He hoped the teams’ performance in the past two games was a sign of things to come later in the season.

“With the last two games, it was our batting and the way we kept momentum through the innings … we were able to build a really good score that we should be able to defend,” Forbes said.

“I like to think we are going to be in any game we play from now on, these longer 45 over games will suit us and hopefully we will be in every contest, that will be our aim.

“It’s about being better for longer.”