ST ANDREWS enters the 2023/24 HDCA A grade season with plenty to gain after a poor summer in 2022/23 saw the Drew’s finish in the bottom half of the ladder.
Injury to its captain, Russell Elton stifled the progress the team had made under his captaincy, and the veteran off-s[inner is rearing to go for the summer after recovering over winter.
The loss of opening bowler Dale Harris is a huge blow to the Drew’s as the club has also seen his new ball partner Angus Harms look to play more and more Premier Cricket with Northcote this coming summer.
Harris and his partner have welcomed their first child and the tall right hand quick is taking time off from cricket to concentrate on his young family.
To have Jacob Hill back in the side will be a huge boost after he injured his knee during the 2022 football season which kept him playing at all last summer.
The elegant left hand middle order batsmen will give the batting order strength along with former PF Christie Medalist and three-time A Grade premiership player, Jace Hollard.
Hollard comes to the club after being out of the game for a few seasons and his batting at no6 will lend itself to good scores as the summer wears on.
Nic Emsley will no doubt take the wicketkeeping gloves at some stage during the summer as regular stumper, Simon Hatherell takes a step back.
“It was a big blow for me missing most of last season and I cannot wait to get back on the field with my team mates this summer,” Elton said.
“I want to be able to captain the side well and hopefully play finals and personally I would like to contribute with the bat and ball like I have any other season.
“I have been bowling and batting since May to regain strength in my arm and movement of my spinning fingers and after a lot of net sessions I am happy that I am on track to start the season well.
“I need to Thank Darryl Fry, Latham Wishart and Nic Cullinane who came to the nets with me all winter and gave me the opportunity to get my strength up and get in some form.
“ We Expect the Portland teams to be a good challenge as they will be coming into the A grade comp with the same aspirations and goals as any club and that’s to make finals and win flags,” Russell said of the new Portland based teams that enter the HDCA this summer.
“When (Pigeon) Ponds and Casterton (District) joined the competition, they had a lot to prove and both clubs exploded onto the scene and have played fantastic A grade cricket ever since and I expect nothing less from the Portland sides, and I know the boys are also excited for the challenge.
With five new teams coming into the competition, the spots in the finals become even harder to claim and College seems to be the team many opposition clubs have their eyes on at this early stage.
“College would have to be the team to beat this year as they are coming off a great run of form the last two seasons, but with the new clubs joining the comp who knows what the top four teams could look like,” Elton said.
“We will be focused on winning each game as it comes no matter who we are playing.
