Yarrawonga Mulwala Cricket Club’s drive towards a third consecutive A Grade premiership has been given a further boost with star allrounder and former coach Matt Knight returning for season 2021/22.
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The 38-year-old top order left-hand batsman and right-arm outswing bowler coached the club for five seasons, making the finals every year and claiming two premiership flags.
After a few years’ break from the game, he is keen to resume his career. “When I was at the Lakers, there was a group of boys I had the pleasure of coaching when they were teenagers, just young men doing very well,” he told the Yarrawonga Chronicle.
“They’re a great bunch of fellows at the Lakers and I’ll be happy to just be in the background concentrating on my game.”
And the club’s new highly respected coach Michael Drake? “He’s a ripper,” Knight said. “It’s great to have him down at the club, with all his expertise and experience.”
The compliments were returned by this season’s newly appointed coach. “Matt is a highly respected and experienced cricketer with a proven track record,” Drake said.
“He has provided a core to the cricket community, established a winning culture at the YMCC and helped develop junior cricketers into senior players.
“A senior premiership player, Matt is incredibly focused, a pleasant, obliging young man who appreciates the importance of any coaching advice that is offered to him. He’s a very good clubman who would be a major asset to any cricket club.”
Drake considers the former Cobram Primary School Principal of eight years will be invaluable in developing leaders in the club’s senior group.
“Matt can help mentor young bats and consolidate partnerships and can provide support in on-field decision making,” he said.
Knight took a break from cricket to give back more time to his family and setting up his private educational consultant business.
But the cricketer who represented Victorian in under-age cricket and made the Australia squad yesteryear has recaptured the hunger for more cricket at the Stan Hargreaves Oval.
As number three batsman for the Lakers in 74 matches from 2012 to 2018, Knight chalked up four centuries and 18 fifties for an overall impressive average of 42.30; took 88 wickets at the impressive average of just 12.36 a wicket.
He joins previous star opener Josh Lawrence in returning to Vic Park.
Yarrawonga Mulwala Cricket Club President Glenn Brear is thrilled to have Knight back, describing him as “an outstanding cricketer”.
“You can have your flat-track bullies who might be able to do something occasionally, but Matt Knight can build partnerships, hold an innings together and help our youngsters play the game,” the president said.
“To have him back in the team and the club is wonderful.”
