ST.MARY’S-TYNTYNDER CRICKET CLUB – 2021-22 SEASON PREVIEW
SHDCA FAST FACTS
PRESIDENT – Lyndon Chaproniere
A GRADE CAPTAIN – Austin McKerrow & Jack Shannahan
SENIOR COACH – Austin McKerrow & Jack Shannahan
LAST A-GRADE PREMIERSHIP – 2019-2020
2020-2021 FINISH – Semi Finalist
LEADING RUN SCORER – Corey Daniels – 301 runs @ 27.36
LEADING WICKET TAKER – Duane Bruton – 25 wickets @ 9.72
AS they have for been for the best part of a decade, St.Mary’s-Tyntynder will enter season 2021-22 as one of the teams to beat.
Despite dominating the competition over that period of time, the Bulldogs unfortunately have very little silverware to show for it, with their only two-day premiership coming in the COVID-affected 2019-20 season, along with two McDonald’s T20 competition titles in recent seasons.
This year feels different however, with St.Mary’s taking a different leadership direction, with Matt Barnes stepping down after leading the Bulldogs for the last three seasons and Austin McKerrow and Jack Shannahan sharing the role as co-captains.
As well as new leadership, their already strong batting line-up will take on a new look, with the aggressive Bailey Codling crossing over from Nyah District and classy left-hander Jake Foster set to join the Ken Harrison crew.
After playing only a handful of games early last season, Shannahan will be like a new recruit and should perfectly complement McKerrow at the top of the order.
Throw in the level headed Riley Daniels, last season’s leading run scorer Corey Daniels, and the hard-hitting Jared Halligan, who can take a game away from an opposition in the blink of an eye, and St.Mary’s-Tyntynder’s batting starts to have an ominous look about it.
While often a positive, their combined aggression at the crease can also bring about their downfall, as evidenced by their performance in last years Semi Final.
It’s this aspect of their game that McKerrow and Shannahan will have to address in order to take that next step.
While their batting will undoubtedly be their biggest strength, their bowling attack will be significantly weaker without last year’s leading wicket taker Duane Bruton, who will miss the majority of the season with a broken foot.
The Bulldogs will still possess plenty of firepower however, with Corey Daniels and Nathaniel Holmes-Brown arguably the competition’s leading fast bowlers.
Even in Bruton’s absence, St.Mary’s will still have plenty of depth, with Dom Violi, Matt Barnes, McKerrow and Shannahan able to take wickets as well as tie down an end when required.
It’s a sentiment that new skipper McKerrow agreed with when he spoke with The Guardian this week.
“We’ve had the same batting line-up for the last couple of seasons now and we’ve just never been able to string it together properly,” McKerrow said.
“However, I’m very confident that it’s going to happen this year, and that will change.
“Our batting will be our big strength – our line-up is second to none, but we just have to put the score on the board a bit more consistently.
“Our other big strength is our fielding – I’ve always felt we’ve been one of the better fielding teams in the competition.”
While very happy to once again lead his home club, McKerrow is also excited about the prospect of sharing the role – and the possibilities that will present.
“Having a joint captains structure made the decision to take on the role a lot easier, really – Jack and I just bounce off each other, which is great,” McKerrow said.
“We intend to share the workload 50-50, which will make the role easier for both us.”
WORD FROM THE CAPTAIN – AUSTIN McKERROW
“Every year I’m always pretty confident – I’d love to play in all three Grand Finals and win them all and I think we’ll go close if we just get our heads right.
We’d like to go a couple of steps further than last season as we definitely have something to prove after last year.”
PLAYER TO WATCH – RILEY DANIELS
Having spent the last six seasons coming up through the ranks, Daniels is now ready for a breakout season.
The wicket-keeper batsman wasn’t at his best with the willow last year, but has plenty to prove and if he can fire, will add an extra dimension to the Bulldogs team.
IN – Bailey Codling (Nyah District), Jake Foster.OUT – Tim Free (retired), Duane Bruton (injured)
UP NEXT – SWAN HILL CRICKET CLUB (TUESDAY)
