James Murphy
THE 2022-23 Mount Gambier and District cricket season is nearly upon us and North Sportsman’s will enter the Barber Shield competition with a point to prove.
The Tigers finished top in 2020-21, but missed out on playing finals last year as they felt the sting of player availability due to pandemic isolation restrictions.
They were not alone in that boat, as all clubs faced the same issues, but North Sportsman’s president Mitch Lewis said he looked forward to finding some continuity within his playing group.
“We have had a pretty interrupted couple of years because of Covid,” he said.
“It would be good to get a decent run at it after a couple of years of interruptions.”
North finished fifth last season, a position the club was not well accustomed to after seven consecutive grand final appearances in the top grade.
“That was something we weren’t really used to,” Lewis said.
“Everyone is pretty keen to get back to where we think we belong.
“Hopefully we have a less interrupted year, which would go a long way towards helping us achieve that.”
Lewis said the squad would remain mostly unchanged, with the recruitment of Yahl’s Nick Brown sure to bolster the middle order of the batting lineup.
He ranked in the top five of batting statistics in the B Grade competition last season, with an average of 45.5 runs a game.
As a North Gambier footballer, Brown will slot into the team seamlessly and Lewis is excited to see what he can offer in the top grade this year.
“We are hoping to have him upper middle,” Lewis said.
“We probably have him mostly as a batter, which is going to help stack us in that top six.”
Looking at the rest of the squad, the likes of Nick McInerney, Jake Schutz and Michael Johnston will be looked to with bat in hand up the top order.
The Tigers’ bowling has long been a not-so-secret weapon and Lewis looked forward to continuing that trend.
He was impressed by the development of youngster Isaac Mulraney last season and expects good things from him again.
“He took some good steps as a junior when we won the flag last and then stepped up again last year in a tough year,” Lewis said.
“Now he’s 18 and a little bit stronger and sharper in the nets.
“I am excited to see what he can get out on the deck.”
Another young gun in Elliot Fisher performed well with the ball last year, while North had no shortage of experience in the discipline, with Tim Young, Johnston, McInerney and Declan Kenny all dangerous.
The Tigers will be hungry for redemption and there should be no reason they will not return to the top order in 2022-23.
“We have a couple of injuries we might have to deal with early, but by Christmas we will be our full-strength side,” Lewis said.
“We are bit the same as everybody, we have been a bit interrupted with training because of the rain.
“But we have managed to get enough in to feel like we are in a good spot.”
The Tigers will look to get a few more sessions under their belt, before a big opening round against reigning premier Penola at McCorquindale Park on October 22.
