By David Nagel
CCCA PREMIER DIVISION – SEASON PREVIEW
KOOWEERUP
2022/23: Premiers – 9 wins
President: Matt Davey
Coach: Chris Bright
Captain: Luke McMaster
Ins: Lachie Ramage (Left-hand bat)
Outs: Jess Mathers (Season/Foot Injury)
Leading run scorers: Luke McMaster (549), Chris Bright (433), Gamini Kumara (409), Mitchell Davey (285), Jess Mathers (213).
Leading wicket-takers: Luke McMaster (31), Jess Mathers (28), Matthew Bright (15), Gamini Kumara (15), Adam McMaster (10).
We Say:
Can Kooweerup win back-to-back premierships without the most influential big-game performer in the last decade of the WGCA/CCCA? That’s the only real question mark on the Demons after an accident at work left superstar Jess Mathers on crutches and highly-unlikely to take any part in the 2023/24 season. While the loss of Mathers is huge – he bowled 154 overs of rock-solid medium pace and took 28 wickets last year – if there is one team that can cover him…it’s the Demons. Luke and Adam McMaster, John Bright, Mitch Davey and Gamini Kumara, the medium-to-fast bowling stocks are strong, while off-spinner Matt Bright might be asked to add significantly to his 84 overs bowled last year. Unlike Cardinia, who like to tie teams down with slows, the Demons love hitting teams with pace and trying to expose any technical flaws in defence. Courage, patience and consistency…they’re all valuable commodities when facing this Demons line-up. Kumara and Luke McMaster, along with Chris Bright, also form the basis of the most lethal batting trio in the business. Kumara is a class act, technically exquisite, while the ability of Bright and McMaster to hit good balls for six allows the pressure to never build up. The Demons always seem to score quickly, and especially at home where short boundaries square of the wicket become tantalising. They can win it alright…but just how much will they miss Mathers when the biggest stage hits town?
Prediction: 3rd – Tooradin, Pakenham, KOOWEERUP, Devon Meadows, Cardinia, Merinda Park, Clyde, Carlisle Park
