Tara Murray
A familiar face has returned to Lancefield Cricket Club and is stepping into the coaching hot seat for the upcoming Gisborne and District Cricket Association season.
Having had the last two seasons off, multiple premiership winning star Matthew Bowden has returned to the club and decided to put his hand up for the coaching role.
Bowden said it was exciting to return to the club.
“I stepped away from the club due to family commitments with our first baby and thought I would have a year off,” he said.
“We then had renovations at home and I just wanted to focus on that over the last couple of years. We had another boy last month, but we’re a bit more settled.
“With no footy this year, I’ve gone crazy with the free time so I’ve decided to play cricket again.
“I was at the AGM and they said they were looking for a coach and enjoyed working alongside Digger [Luke Barker] previously and I thought I would give it a crack.”
Bowden, who is also captain of the Lancefield senior football team, said he was looking forward to working with the young kids coming through the club.
Bowden was among a number of Tigers players who have stepped away from the club in recent years, which saw them go from McIntyre Cup in 2017-18 to the north division last season.
He is hoping he won’t be the only player returning to the club.
“There’s a few players who are questionable at the moment, it’s hard with the COVID-19 side of things with work and trying to make a commitment.
“A few players who played the McIntyre Cup might play a few games. The two Malone boys[ Luke and Nathan] and Jarryd McGill.
“Most players from last year have committed.”
The Tigers, who claimed the north premiership last season will play in division 2 this season, with the hopes of fielding a second team in a lower division.
Bowden said they had hoped to play in the higher Jensen Shield, but were prepared to do the hard work to rise up the grades.
“t’ll give us a chance to see where we are at and not throw us in the deep end,” he said.
“For us it’s more about consistency and not jumping up and down the grades.
“We’ve got a few younger boys coming through the club and we’ll give them experience and try and move up again.”
The Tigers will again field a women’s side, this season in the new Gisborne and District Cricket Association’s new competition.
The Tigers are still looking for a coach, with applications closing September 25.
