New look for Hills

By Marc McGowan
ENDEAVOUR Hills faces a testing summer in the VSDCA after losing nine first XI players over the off-season.
Last season’s captain-coach Ben Maroney, all-rounder Dom Paynter and wicketkeeper Jason Williams have all gone to Pakenham.
Team-of-the-year all-rounder Matthew Hutchinson and top-order batsmen Ryan Pearson and Shaun Tongue will play for Doveton.
Hutchinson is the Doves’ new captain-coach.
Englishman Karl Turner will also not return after walking out on the club halfway through last season.
Talented youngsters Matt Aslett (Dandenong) and Simon Black (Hawthorn-Monash University) have left to pursue Victorian Premier Cricket careers.
But new captain-coach Vaughan Baxter, the 2006/07 second XI league player of the year, is confident his recruits – and the development of his young players – will prevent the club from having too much of a fall.
Former Endeavour Hills juniors Matthew Foenander and Neil Peake – brother of Hills players Shane, Chris and Matthew – are back from Victorian Premier Cricket club Richmond.
Richard Saniga has also returned and will double as assistant coach, while Richie Evans, who will open the batting, will replace Turner as the Hills’ English import.
The promising Justin Merlino will partner Evans at the top of the order and Baxter is tipping a big season for the former.
Saniga and Foenander will open the bowling, with 15-year-old medium-pacer Lachie McIver and off-spinner Shane Peake rounding out the frontline attack.
“Lachie has a very bright future and is the best cricketer, at that age, I’ve played with,” Baxter said.
“The only thing that lets him down a little bit is that he’s a bit slow, but he’s getting quicker and I’m sure he’ll ‘make it’.
McIver, like Aslett last season, will be restricted to six-over spells and VSDCA rules state he needs an hour break between stints at the bowling crease.
Baxter is aware of the tough task ahead.
“The twos won the flag last year and they’ll all virtually be going up to the ones this year, so we’re basically starting from scratch,” he said.
“I’ll be focusing on the basics and bringing the kids through. I basically want the guys to bowl to plans and bat the 80 overs every week.
“I think our batting will be all right, but we’re a bit weak in the bowling – that’s something we’ll have to work on.”
Endeavour Hills will celebrate its 30th anniversary on 31 January at the Dandenong Club and is inviting all past and present players to the function.
Hills officials will name an all-time best team and a sub-district team, representing the club’s decade-long participation in that competition.
Sydney Pargeter Reserve will be unavailable for the first month of the season due to its poor condition.
Endeavour Hills plays Ormond at E.E. Gunn Reserve from 1pm on Saturday.