Tara Murray
The Greenvale Kangaroos are in a much better position than 12 months ago as they head into the Victorian Premier Cricket season.
After losing 38 players from their squad last year, the Kangaroos struggled last season with their first XI failing to win a game.
Coaching director Ash Cavigan said there was a lot more positivity heading into this season..
“We have retained a lot of players and added some talent to the whole list,” he said.
“In the first XI we’ve retained most of the squad and added some players,
“You always get a little bit of an organic turnover and lose 10-12 players. We lost something like 38 players last year which was a bit full on.
“It’s nice to come in with a familiar program and that is what we wanted to do. Retain the group and add some first XI talent.”
Musa Hussain has made the move to Section Road from Essendon, with Cavigan said he brings all three skill sets.
Ryan Stingel returns to the Kangaroos from Footscray. Cavigan said he believed Stingel was the youngest player to score a first XI for the club.
Visura Fernando, who has made the move from Kingston Hawthorn, is another who has played first XI cricket. He’s a top order batsmen.
The Kangaroos will also have two English imports who are likely to arrive in time for round three.
Ben Cliff and Will Luxton are both from Yorkshire and have played for the club’s first team in county cricket.
Both have played for England’s under-19 team.
“Ben is a right arm fast bowler,” Cavigan said. “Will is a top order bat.”
Cavigan said with the extra depth in the club it will allow players to play at the level they need to be.
“We are really young,” he said. “Adding these guys really helps hold the young guys at the level that they should be playing at.
“It’s a better opportunity to develop them and then we can promote them at the right times.”
The Kangaroos started their pre-season in July and finished it with some practice matches this Friday.
He said they’d had a good run of training head of the season.
Cavigan said after a bit more of a normal pre-season that they would have some improved results across the board.
He said they would like to see at least one of their men’s teams making finals this season.
“We are realistic about where we are at,” he said. “We’re not afraid to put it on the table that we have to get better at the end of the day.
“We have to win games and it’s about being in as many matches as can be.
“We want to jump into the middle six of the competition this year. That’s stage one, winning five or six games and being as competitive as we can.”
The Kangaroos are set to kick off their season on October 5 against Geelong at Greenvale Reserve.
