ULTIMA-TUF CRICKET CLUB – 2024-25 SEASON PREVIEW
SHDCA FAST FACTS
PRESIDENT – Kevin Casey
A-GRADE CAPTAIN – Kade Benfield
LAST A-GRADE PREMIERSHIP – 2006-07
2023-24 FINISH – Eighth
LEADING RUN SCORER – Kyle Symons – 253 runs @ 21.08
LEADING WICKET TAKER – Jordan King – 30 wickets @ 20.33
WORD FROM THE CAPTAIN
KADE BENFIELD
“Our aim is the same as it has been the last couple of years, we want to play finals. Last year we took a bit of a backward step, we went a bit younger with our team, but that will hopefully hold us in good stead this year.”
PLAYER TO WATCH
Jordan King – Was Ultima-TUF’s leading wicket taker last season and by some margin, taking 30 wickets for the season – 12 more than the next best. Is capable of bowling blistering spells but can also leak runs at times and is a very dangerous lower order hitter who can score runs quickly when the occasion requires.
IN’S – Lachlan Edwards (Swan Hill), Jacob Hatcher (Swan Hill), Ian Schodde (Swan Hill)
OUT’S – Tom Bell (Nyah District), Ayden Symons (St.Mary’s-Tyntynder)
THREE key recruits and another year of development are what’s expected to push Ultima-TUF another step closer to ending a 15-year finals drought in season 2024-25.
The recruitment of Swan Hill trio Lachlan Edwards, Jacob Hatcher and Ian Schodde will not only help improve the Roodogs quality with both bat and ball, but also their depth, which has long been a problem for the club.
Edwards and Hatcher will make an immediate impact on Ultima-TUF’s top order, with the former Swans opening batsmen forming a formidable partnership at the top of the order last year despite their team’s lack of success.
While the pair were expected to do it all across the road, this year, they will have plenty of help, with Kyle Symons, Josh Waldron and Jordan King all scoring more than 200 runs last season.
Add in Mitch Seton-Stewart and captain Kade Benfield, who both had interrupted campaigns 12 months ago and the Roodogs have the nucleus of a very potent batting lineup.
“Our batting will be our strength this year, the key for us will be to post a big target each week,” Roodogs captain Kade Benfield told The Guardian this week.
“Runs on the board will be vital for us to put pressure on our opposition, because we’re still a little bit light on with the ball and sometimes, that scoreboard pressure can do funny things to teams.
“We’ll bat all the way down to number eight or nine which is a huge positive but we will need to make it count and have everyone contributing each week.
“Those two boys (Edwards and Hatcher) will be huge inclusions for us, they are consistent batsmen who are strong scorers and are reliable with both bat, ball and in the field.
“The hardest part for us over the years has been our depth, we have six or seven really good players but our bottom end has let us down a bit, but those guys will help us out a lot with that.”
Although there is little doubt that the Roodogs will improve, they have also suffered some significant losses, with Ayden Symons moving to St. Mary’s-Tyntynder and fellow top order batsman Tom Bell travelling north to Nyah District.
Ultima-TUF’s biggest challenge will be the same one they faced last season, with their depth with the ball likely to be tested most weeks.
Jordan King is a high-class bowler, but he would certainly benefit from having a partner at the other end who can tie down an end at times.
Charlie Kingwill and Josh Waldron can both provide that support, but can also be expensive at times, while Cassidy Sibley continued to develop into a high-class spinner last season, taking 18 wickets at an average of 25.0.
The big question that needs answering though is where will the Roodogs find the rest of their overs from, especially in the shorter formats, so that their talent laden batting lineup isn’t chasing an insurmountable score each week. Benfield knows that now is the time for his young team to stand up and be counted.
“We’re getting older now, we’re not a young team anymore and most of us guys are in our early to mid 20’s, it’s time we started doing something with our talent,” Benfield said.
“The longer formats will suit us best I feel, especially with our lack of bowling depth compared to the other teams.
“The longer formats should allow ‘Kingy’ (Jordan King) and ‘Cas’ (Cassidy Sibley) to go to work and work into their spell a lot better.
“Then the flip side of that is the more overs at our disposal with the bat, the more runs we can make as well and the better we can use our depth.
“We know it won’t be easy, it’s going to be a challenge, but we’re ready for it and we’re up for it and we’re determined to start climbing back up the ladder.”
