Jacana Cricket Club’s season thus far has been one of transition.
After breaking a 42-year flag drought last year in Victorian Turf Cricket Association North B1 division and being promoted, it’s a new-look Jaguars that have been competing in North A1.
Wins have been rare but Jaguars coach Brett Jensen says results don’t tell the story.
“It has been a bit of a changing of the guard at the club,” he said.
“We’ve had 10 debutants in the firsts and another three guys playing who had previously played one game each.
“It’s given a lot of opportunities to guys who haven’t had chances before. We’re getting to see where players are at.”
Jensen said it was early in the development of some players but a couple had showed they were definitely first XI players.
“Rhys Evans has had a breakout season,” he said.
“He hasn’t played the last few years due to injury. He has had his best ever year.
“Ryan McCawley made his debut last round – he looks like he’ll be a senior player.”
The standout player for the Jaguars so far this season has again been Praneeth Jayasundera.
Jayasundera won the league’s north B1 best and fairest award last year.
He is averaging 57 with the bat this season and has taken 13 wickets.
“PJ is a quality cricketer no matter what grade he is in,” Jensen said.
The coach said the next aim for the club was to continue building on what had been learnt so far this year and get the players back to training early for the 2016-17 season.
“We’ll look to be a bit more structured in training,” he said.
“We’ll work with them on what they need to be better cricketers.”
As for this season, the Jaguars are in a fight to avoid relegation.
They are sitting in ninth on the ladder with only four points separating the bottom three sides.
“We have improved as the season has gone on,” Jensen said. “We think we’re still a chance of staying up.
“I think this season has been more about what we end up achieving with the players we have rather than results.
“It’s about where the club is going and trying to set the club up for the future.
“We’ve put in a lot of hard work to put a base in place but there’s still a lot of work to do.”
Jacana conceded first innings points to Glenroy in its North A1 match on Saturday.
Batting first, the Jaguars were bowled out for 95. Evans top-scored with 30.
At stumps on day one of the match, Glenroy was 3-255.
