Mount Clear loses captain-coach: Drain pulls plug

By TIM O'CONNOR

Oct. 18, 2012, 7:30 p.m.

Matthew Drain has stepped down from the captain-coach role at Mt Clear.

MATTHEW Drain’s short reign at Mt Clear has come to an end.

Mounties president Anthony Tigchelaar confirmed Drain had departed the Ballarat Cricket Association club, but denied rumours there had been a falling out between it and the former Melbourne district player.

When asked about the inuendo, Tigchelaar replied “not true at all” and said that an increase in work commitments had led to Drain stepping down from the captain-coach role.

“Matthew came and spoke to me on Monday afternoon. Obviously we tried to negotiate common ground, but he can’t do things in halves. It’s 100 per cent or not at all,” he said.

“We part on tremendous terms. There’s no sinister activity or anything like that. It is simply the commitment that Matthew had and requirement of the role.

“To the interests of all involved we will move on.”

Drain’s departure comes before playing a game with the Mounties, which he joined during the off-season.

Opening bowler Lincoln Blake has been appointed the stand-in captain of the first eleven side.

Tigchelaar said he didn’t expect Drain’s shock exit to have an impact on the club’s performance going forward.

“If it was a bitter disagreement it may have an impact, but I don’t think so. Players are absolutely going to be surprised, but in end we are there to play cricket and the basics of cricket don’t change,” he said.

Tigchelaar said Drain had been sensational during his short time with the club and wished him and his family all the best for the future.

Drain joined the Mounties following an extensive playing career with Essendon and Carlton, and has a highly decorated background in cricket and sports administration.

In the AFL, he was St Kilda general manager, high performance manager at Western Bulldogs and Essendon football manager. He was also high performance manager at Cricket Australia.