Penola enters new era

Penola enters new era

It is all change at McCorquindale Park for Penola’s Mount Gambier and District Cricket Association campaign this summer.

After claiming the 2019-20 minor premiership, the Eagles are going through a transitional phase with George Kidman, Jase Bateman, Kurt Evans and Logan Gibbs all calling time on their careers in the blue and white over the off season.

Stepping up to the crease and hoping to fill the void is wicketkeeper Mark Smith (pictured).

Smith has played at Penola for four seasons and will lead the team for the first time this summer.

He has never led a senior side before and said it was nice to receive the promotion and will look to lead in a similar style to his predecessor Bateman.

“I am stoked about it,” Smith said.

“It is obviously a privilege and an honour and I am looking forward to just following on from what Jase has done.

“Jase was pretty laid back and casual, so I just want to get the team together as a bunch of mates and then the cricket will sort itself out.”

The departure of the experienced quartet is a significant blow for the Eagles as the side drifts away from the eleven, which secured consecutive grand final appearances just two seasons ago.

Kidman’s all-round skills will be sorely missed as he played a major role on and off the field.

He scored 168 runs and claimed 16 wickets on his way to the Whitty Medal last summer, but called time on his career during the winter.

Bateman was also a key player and performed an important role at the top of the batting order.

He scored a gritty half century in his last appearance at the crease for the Eagles but returns to his native area Furner, while Evans is injured and Gibbs has moved to Mil Lel.

However, Penola has managed to welcome some new faces with Paul Ellis arriving from Kongorong and Dan McNicol and Sam Klemm committing for the entire summer.

After easing back into things in the nets, Smith said he was not concerned by losing 374 games of experience from his team.

“There has been a fair bit of change and it will not be the same team as the last few years, but I feel more excited about how we respond with a different line up,” he said.

“We have had a couple of net sessions and numbers have been good with most of the A Graders out there.

“A few of the boys are hitting the ball hard and bowling pretty well in the nets, so if we can do that from the start of the season we should be alright.”

The changing nature of the squad places more pressure on the shoulders of vice-captain Jack Mullan and strike-bowler Michael Waters.

Mullan was the club’s leading run scorer with 247 runs, while Waters was the most prolific wicket taker with 17 scalps.

The duo are not the only names to look out for and with plenty of talent still at his disposal, Smith wants to lead the Eagles to a sixth-straight finals berth.

“It doesn’t matter whether you finish first or fourth, all you have to do is make the finals and anything can happen,” he said.

“We might be a bit inconsistent, but when we are at our best, we will be right up there, so if we can be in the top four I would be happy.”

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