BASSENDEAN Cricket Club players are focusing on improving their skills as the club looks to regain a spot in the first grade competition ahead of the upcoming West Australian Suburban Turf Cricket Association season.
First team vice-captain Simon Duca said the team was relegated to the second grade due to a competition restructure after last season.
“There were 14 teams in the first grade last year and they have put it back to eight so six had to go down,” he said.
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READ NOW“Unfortunately, we had a tough time after Christmas last year… we did not win any games.
“We are hoping to rebuild and get back up as soon as possible.”
Duca said there were big numbers joining pre-season training, including a number of new players.
“We have picked up a new wicketkeeper-batsman this season, so we are hoping that he can bring a lot to the group,” he said.
“We are trying to get an English import batsmen but apart from that, we are just hoping the guys from the lower grades can push up and keep developing.”
He said the team needed to work on its fielding and batting prior to its first match on October 8.
“We have been dismissed far too early in our innings last season so with batting, time and patience is the key,” he said.
New club president Jeff Carter said the club hoped to bring in players from the junior ranks.
“They have to be a certain age to be able to play seniors so we get some junior guys come through who have finished that junior cricket club and wanting to go onto seniors,” he said.
“Unfortunately, they do not field an under-16s team, they stop at under-14s, so we are talking to them to start up that.”
Carter said he wanted to see the club grow from just a “boys’ club” to a family-orientated club.
“Cricket takes us a long time and the partners feel that so we want the kids and partners involved in the club and make it more enjoyable for them and have some events in the season,” he said.
Bassendean Cricket Club trains on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Jubilee Reserve.