By David Nagel
CLYDE
Captain: Brett Reid
Coach: Adrian Buller
Last Season: Sixth
Most Runs: Jason Hameeteman (417 at 46.33); Joel Avard (214 at 26.75)
Most Wickets: Matthew Aslett (17 at 31.76); Daniel Lever (13 at 38.31)
In: Michael Vandort (Beaconsfield), Neranjana Wanniarachchi (Kandy), James North (UK).
Out: Nick Sadler (Pakenham), Liam Bennett (Blackburn).
Clyde coach Adrian Buller is quietly confident the Cougars can push for a place in the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association Premier Division finals series in 2022/23.
The key-signing of Sri Lankan star Michael Vandort, and the elevation of all-rounder Brett Reid to captain, has given the Cougars the touch of class and competitiveness required to challenge the best teams in the competition.
Buller was quick to highlight Vandort when asked for a list of inclusions this season.
The 42-year-old, who made four centuries in a 20-Test career for his country, has made an immediate impact at his new club.
“We’ve picked up Michael Vandort from Beaconsfield and he’s been fantastic, he hits the ball really clean and you can just tell he is a quality batter who is going to be really good for us at the top of the order,” Buller said.
“He’s a great bloke too, which is really important.
“We heard on the grapevine that he might be wanting to move, so I gave him a call, we had a meeting, and things progressed from there.
“We’re excited and thrilled to have him on board.
“It’s hard to describe, but the boys just seem to be walking a bit taller with him on our side.
“Just knowing he’s an ex-Test cricketer, and just watching him bat in the nets has been amazing.
“To see someone hit the ball that clean, we haven’t seen that for a while.
“He’ll open the batting and hopefully dictate terms from there.”
The Cougars will also be strengthened by the inclusion of Sri Lankan speedster Neranjana ‘Nera’ Wanniarachchi, while James North is a young top-order bat from England that will solidify the top-order.
Nera’s inclusion is important, with the Cougars losing medium-pace bowlers Nick Sadler (Pakenham) and Liam Bennett (Blackburn) in the off-season.
Buller said the selection of Reid as captain would also sharpen the Cougars up this season.
“I’m very confident in his ability to bring back a bit of old-school toughness, something I think we’ve dropped away from a little bit, and also to make sure we execute our skills better,” Buller said, before agreeing the Cougars would be a better outfit than last year.
“Definitely, I’m confident this year and can’t wait to get it under way, I want to see how we go and I think we can give the top four a nudge for sure,” he said.
“There’s a lot of optimism around the place at the moment.”
The Cougars kick-off their season by hosting reigning premiers Tooradin at Ramlegh Reserve this Saturday 1 October.
For a full preview of the Cougars season, including more comments from Buller on how the list is tracking, grab a copy of the Wednesday 5 October edition of the Berwick-Pakenham Gazette.
