Letting fly with the ball was Angus Heslin in readiness for Saturday’s 12.30pm start this Saturday against City Colts.
Photo by
Les_Garbutt
Yarrawonga Mulwala's A Grade cricket team is primed for the 2025/2026 season, retaining their squad and adding a powerhouse allrounder as they gear up for Saturday's season opener against City Colts.
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The Lakers wrap up their pre-season at Vic Park tomorrow, with players showing fierce determination to make a deep finals run this year.
“It was a bit ‘fluffy’ last season, bit of a premiership hangover. We’re more serious this season,” captain coach Kyle Archibald said last week.
“This is our third week of pre-season. Numbers have been very good and with daylight saving, excellent numbers. Players are raring to go. It’s fair dinkum practice. We had a good win over Barooga in a practice match last weekend.”
The Lakers are hoping to have Melbourne traveller Matt Casey the whole season following injury.
Class allrounder with four years of Victorian Cricket Premier experience Devlin Webb makes a powerful batting line-up.
That line-up will include Ben Welsh in November. After Lakers’ 2024/25 season, Welsh compiled over 800 runs in England with Hampsthwaite, a comparable standard to Wangaratta District Cricket Association, averaging over 50.
Welsh and Lakers’ opening bowler teammate Angus Heslin visited England in April. Heslin is already back in action at the Lakers’ pre-season.
Batsman Brock McCabe batting at practice last week.
Photo by
Les_Garbutt
In England, with Birstwith Cricket Club in North Yorkshire – the next village on from Hampsthwaite – he followed up his 31-wicket bowling award-winning association effort by taking 57 wickets at an average of 16, in 20, 45-over Saturday matches. That’s almost three wickets every innings, particularly as there was just the one bag of five wickets.
“I’ve struggled with consistency, so I was pleased to be consistent overseas,” Heslin said.
“I loved playing over there. It was something I’ve always wanted to do, to have that experience.”
A medium fast seam bowler, Heslin was somewhat modest about his achievements with Hampsthwaite. “The wickets were bowler-friendly, uncovered wickets.” But you’ve still got to get the wickets.
Pre-season keenness by players doing fielding drills, batting, bowling and keeping has delighted Archibald.
Yarrawonga Mulwala Cricket Club President for the past five years Glenn Brear has been most impressed with pre-season. “It’s probably the best in my time as president,” he said.
“No doubt it’s an enthusiastic painting and a pre-season enthusiastic painting is a very good picture.”
