By David Nagel
CARDINIA
Captain: Jake Prosser
Last Season: Fourth – Runners Up
Most Runs: Alex Nooy (396 at 28.29); Jake Prosser (318 at 35.33)
Most Wickets: Travis Wheller (25 at 16.80); Jake Prosser (18 at 28.00)
In: Morteza Ali (Narre South), Lachie Ramage (Kooweerup) and Blake Terlaak (Somerville).
Out: Lachie Volpe (Work).
Cardinia captain Jake Prosser is expecting the inclusion of star recruit Morteza Ali to bolster a batting top-order that showed signs of vulnerability during the 2021/22 season.
The Bulls, premiers in 2020/21, again made the grand final last season through sheer grit and determination, with continued pressure on the middle order finally taking its toll on the biggest day of the season.
“Things are looking good; we’ve picked up Morteza Ali from Narre South, he’s a pretty hard striker of the ball, a 360 player, and he’s going to offer a lot for us,” Prosser said.
“He’s also got a lot of variation with the ball, and he could be an x-factor for us.
“We’ll try him out when we get the chance early, and go from there, but he hasn’t bowled too much in the pre-season.
“I think that was our missing link last year, we just needed that extra bat, so now we’re hoping his inclusion will iron those things out.”
Prosser said the main focus of the Bulls’ pre-season had been pretty simple as they head into the first season of the rebranded Casey Cardinia Cricket Association.
“The focus early on has just been getting back into it, getting rolling again,” Prosser said.
“I felt like we started our first four games last season pretty well, but then went into a bit of a lull and then found our mojo again in finals.
“In saying that, we never really batted well as a group all year, so leading into the two-day season it’s going to be adapting to those conditions when we get to the two-dayers in round four.
“We think if we bat our 80 overs out we’re going to win more games than we lose.”
Ali, the 2019/20 Wookey Medalist in the DDCA, is the obvious key inclusion, while dour left-hander Lachie Ramage will also make an impact in the two-day game as he heads to the Bulls from arch-rival Kooweerup.
And Blake Terlaak from Somerville has variety with the ball that could lead to significant breakthroughs throughout the season.
Prosser is confident there is also natural improvement from within the group itself.
“Jacobus Hynes has been in England, it was his first session last Friday and he trained really well last year to work his way into the ones,” he said.
“He should improve, and Josh Grogan, he’ll probably start in the ones.
“Since I’ve been at the club he hasn’t had a chance off me, so he’s worked really hard in the pre-season and he’ll be crucial for us as well.
“We also get Dean Henwood back, who we had out for the last seven rounds and finals.
“He’s a big one for us as well, especially with the red ball.”
Prosser is also confident the Bulls can overcome a weather-interrupted pre-season.
“From what I’m hearing, not many clubs have been getting on at all,” he said.
“We haven’t had a pre-season for two years, with Covid and what not, and we think we’ve coped pretty well with that.”
Prosser said the Bulls won’t be underestimating their first round opponent Carlisle Park, despite the Vikings finishing bottom of the table last season.
“I know they’ve lost their gun (Ravi Kodithuwakku) at the top of the order, but last year one of their blokes got 80-odd against us and they pushed us to the limit, so we won’t be taking them lightly that’s for sure.”
The Vikings and Bulls are scheduled to play round one at Carlisle Park Reserve on Saturday.
