WHEN we left off, the Mounties edged out the Bulls in a thrilling title showdown to claim the Ballarat Cricket Association club firsts crown and Lion Matt Cape was declared the best and fairest of them all.
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As we get ready for a new summer, there are a few new faces, a few old ones back in the mix and a few changing colours, but their missions are ultimately the same – find a way to win the shield.
Cricket is back this week and The Courier’s MELANIE WHELAN continues to take you through what you need to know before players hit the field.
GOLDEN POINT
THE FACTS
CAPTAIN: Josh White
KEY ARRIVALS: Englishman David Whapplington has settled in at Eastern Oval. A left-hand bat who should help steady the Point order. Seasoned left-arm off-spinner Pete Appleton is back from a season’s hiatus and his experience will be invaluable.
KEY DEPARTURES: Nil
2013/14: Sixth
STAND-OUT performances last summer showed Golden Point has plenty of promise. Now, particularly with the experienced Pete Appleton set to make his return later next month, Point can really make a strong push towards the top four. Consistency has been a key issue in the Point camp but, with another season under their belts, core firsts players are expected to band together and really rattle leading rivals.
2014-15 DRAW
OCTOBER 4 and 11
Round one: v Darley (h)
OCTOBER 18 and 25
Round two: v Brown Hill (a)
NOVEMBER 1 and 8
Round three: v North Ballarat (h)
NOVEMBER 15
Round 4: v Napoleons-Sebastopol (h)
NOVEMBER 29 and DECEMBER 6
Round five: v Mount Clear (a)
DECEMBER 13 and 20
Round six: v East Ballarat (h)
JANUARY 10
Round seven: v Darley (a)
JANUARY 17
Round eight: v Brown Hill (h)
JANUARY 24
Round nine: v North Ballarat (a)
JANUARY 31 and FEBRUARY 7
Round 10: v Coronet City (a)
FEBRUARY 14 and 21
Round 11: v Wendouree (a)
FEBRUARY 28 and MARCH 7
Round 12: v Ballarat-Redan (h)
MOUNT CLEAR
THE FACTS
CAPTAIN: Nathan Yates
KEY ARRIVALS: Nil
KEY DEPARTURES: Nil
2013/14: Premier
THIS is a bit of a worry for rivals – the Mounties have no major personnel changes to the well-balanced and flexible line-up that dominated last season. Mounties captain Nathan Yates said his team had really started to ramp up work on preparations for its title defence the past month. Once again, the Mounties have made it clear to players they need a team effort for further success – it was a team effort that made them so dangerous last summer. Meanwhile, the Mounties hope to be in action on their new turf wicket at their club base by about round three.
2014-15 DRAW
OCTOBER 4 and 11
Round one: v Wendouree (h)
OCTOBER 18 and 25
Round two: v North Ballarat (a)
NOVEMBER 1 and 8
Round three: v Brown Hill (h)
NOVEMBER 15
Round 4: v East Ballarat (a)
NOVEMBER 29 and DECEMBER 6
Round five: v Golden Point (h)
DECEMBER 13 and 20
Round six: v Darley (a)
JANUARY 10
Round seven: v Wendouree (a)
JANUARY 17
Round eight: v North Ballarat (h)
JANUARY 24
Round nine: v Brown Hill (a)
JANUARY 31 and FEBRUARY 7
Round 10: v Ballarat-Redan (h)
FEBRUARY 14 and 21
Round 11: v Coronet City (h)
FEBRUARY 28 and MARCH 7
Round 12: v Napoleons-Sebastopol (a)
NAPOLEONS-SEBASTOPOL
THE FACTS
CAPTAIN: Carman Mapatuna
KEY ARRIVALS: Nil
KEY DEPARTURES: Coach Dan Davies moves on after three seasons at the club but was unavailable for Napoleons-Sebastopol last summer because of a back injury.
2013/14: Semi-finalist
ALL-ROUND leader Carman Mapatuna has officially been appointed head coach and firsts captain for this season and, while overseeing club training, will focus on specialist coaching. Paceman Matt Ringin steps into an assistant coaching role for general training management. Naps-Sebas will be fired up to improve on a semi-final finish from last summer after three consecutive appearances in the title match. They have a formidable assignment first up in Brown Hill, which is potentially a first-time meeting with former coach Dan Davies. Naps-Sebas needs a strong start to avoid the close finish that almost cost it a top-four spot late last season.
2014-15 DRAW
OCTOBER 4 and 11
Round one: v Brown Hill (h)
OCTOBER 18 and 25
Round two: v Darley (a)
NOVEMBER 1 and 8
Round three: v Ballarat-Redan (h)
NOVEMBER 15
Round 4: v Golden Point (a)
NOVEMBER 29 and DECEMBER 6
Round five: v Wendouree (a)
DECEMBER 13 and 20
Round six: v Coronet City (h)
JANUARY 10
Round seven: v Brown Hill (a)
JANUARY 17
Round eight: v Darley (h)
JANUARY 24
Round nine: v Ballarat-Redan (a)
JANUARY 31 and FEBRUARY 7
Round 10: v North Ballarat (a)
FEBRUARY 14 and 21
Round 11: v East Ballarat (h)
FEBRUARY 28 and MARCH 7
Round 12: v Mount Clear (h)
NORTH BALLARAT
THE FACTS
CAPTAIN: Leigh Lorenzen
KEY ARRIVALS: North is pretty quiet on the arrivals front. The Roosters have picked up a couple of cricketers from Eastern Cricket Association club Richmond City, who are still settling into club ranks.
KEY DEPARTURES: Outgoing captain-coach Bobby Hind means the Roosters have big batting shoes to fill.
2013/14: Fifth
PACEMAN Ash McCafferty has confirmed he will stay one more season at Northern Oval before testing out Victorian Premier Cricket. The Roosters are calling on next tier players Matt Spratling, Mitch Zakynthinos and Jakob Tidyman to really make their mark with the bat in Hind’s departure. Coach Jason Crosbie said players were determined to take the next step after just missing finals last year.
2014-15 DRAW
OCTOBER 4 and 11
Round one: v East Ballarat (a)
OCTOBER 18 and 25
Round two: v Mount Clear (h)
NOVEMBER 1 and 8
Round three: v Golden Point (a)
NOVEMBER 15
Round 4: v Wendouree (h)
NOVEMBER 29 and DECEMBER 6
Round five: v Brown Hill (h)
DECEMBER 13 and 20
Round six: v Ballarat-Redan (a)
JANUARY 10
Round seven: v East Ballarat (h)
JANUARY 17
Round eight: v Mount Clear (a)
JANUARY 24
Round nine: v Golden Point (h)
JANUARY 31 and FEBRUARY 7
Round 10: v Napoleons-Sebastopol (h)
FEBRUARY 14 and 21
Round 11: v Darley (a)
FEBRUARY 28 and MARCH 7
Round 12: v Coronet City (a)
WENDOUREE
THE FACTS
CAPTAIN: Cole Roscholler
KEY ARRIVALS: Big-hitting all-rounder Grant Bell is back on board this season. Fellow premiership Red Cap Jordan Oliver returns from a season’s hiatus to sharpen the Red Caps’ pace attack. Ash McDonald, known in the region as a Bungaree footballer, is also set to join the Red Caps’ bowling line-up from Queenscliff.
KEY DEPARTURES: Nil.
2013/14: Semi-finalist
BATSMAN Cole Roscholler has stepped up to captain the Red Caps, replacing all-rounder Dave Ellis who will remain playing in the firsts. Roscholler has captaincy experience in the Red Caps’ Twenty20 campaigns – Wendouree president Ivan Pyke said Roscholler had grabbed this new opportunity with both hands. Grant Bell and Jordan Oliver’s return will add some bite.
2014-15 DRAW
OCTOBER 4 and 11
Round one: v Mount Clear (a)
OCTOBER 18 and 25
Round two: v Ballarat-Redan (h)
NOVEMBER 1 and 8
Round three: v Coronet City (a)
NOVEMBER 15
Round 4: v North Ballarat (a)
NOVEMBER 29 and DECEMBER 6
Round five: v Napoleons-Sebastopol (h)
DECEMBER 13 and 20
Round six: v Brown Hill (a)
JANUARY 10
Round seven: v Mount Clear (h)
JANUARY 17
Round eight: v Ballarat-Redan (a)
JANUARY 24
Round nine: v Coronet City (h)
JANUARY 31 and FEBRUARY 7
Round 10: v Darley (h)
FEBRUARY 14 and 21
Round 11: v Golden Point (h)
FEBRUARY 28 and MARCH 7
Round 12: v East Ballarat (a)