Mt Clear will be without EJ Cleary medalist and star all-rounder Steve Nicholson as he makes a move to Druids Cricket Club.
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Nicholson amassed 548 runs at an average of 48.9 while also taking 20 wickets throughout the 2017-18 Ballarat Cricket Association first grade season, in which the Mounties made the grand final.
Mt Clear head of cricket Darren Fletcher said the decision was a lifestyle choice and the two part ways on extremely good terms.
A three-time premiership player, Nicholson has put together an impressive resume at the club and Fletcher said he would be welcomed back if the opportunity arose in the future.
“He just wanted to have a bit of a crack down there,” Fletcher said.
“He doesn’t leave with any bad blood or hard feelings. We thank him for his contribution and hopefully he comes back when he decides.
“We don’t owe him anything and he doesn’t owe us anything – he’s been fantastic for us. We’ll miss him immensely...but it’s just one of those things, he’s more than welcome to head down there and try his luck.”
Mounties captain Darcy Thomson echoed the thoughts of Fletcher, but was confident after an otherwise fruitful recruiting season, Mt Clear would be able to cover its departing superstar.
“It’s definitely a loss, he’s a good player, but we’ve recruited really well and we’re pretty confident in our prospects for this year,” Thomson said.
“Mt Clear isn’t the type of club to be complacent...we always want more.
“Obviously Nico is a huge loss, but we feel like we can cover him with (recruit) Jake (Smith) as our opening batter and on the bowling side, I think we can cover him with a couple of mediums instead of spin.”
A handful of recruits will be on display in Mt Clear’s season-opener against Darley in a fortnight.
2018 Bernie Davey medalist and former VRI Delacombe captain-coach Jarrod Burns tops the list of key inclusions.
Burns enjoyed a stellar 2017-18 season which returned four centuries and 915 runs at an average in excess of 100.
Meanwhile fellow premiership stars Hayden Cartledge and Les Sandwith return to the club while Brendan Moyle joins from Echuca out of the Goulburn Murray Cricket Association.
Thomson said Cartledge and Sandwith were both elite fielders.
Cartledge was earmarked to bat in the top-middle order while Sandwith is an opener and back-up wicketkeeper.
Moyle is an all-rounder who will come on as a first-change bowler and provide stability with the bat.
Thomson also said off-spinner Nathan Hucker would be another to keep an eye on.
Hucker played four first grade matches last season and took 17 wickets in seven games at second grade level, he could be a possible spin option for the Mounties.
ROUND ONE (on October 6)
Brown Hill v Ballarat-Redan, Western Oval
Golden Point v East Ballarat, Eastern Oval
Darley v Mt Clear, Darley Park
Buninyong v Napoleons-Sebastopol, St Patrick's College two
Wendouree v North Ballarat, Wendouree