By Tara Murray
PEGS have locked in a former West Indian international as coach as it aims to return straight back to the Victorian Turf Cricket Association Isaacs Howarth Shield.
Former West Indies and Barbados cricketer Omar Phillips will be a playing coach for the side next season.
Phillips played a few games with the club at the back end of last season.
Club president Terry Fulton said it was an exciting time for the club.
He said Phillips in his short time at the club had been impressed with its culture and it was the main reason he wanted to step up and take on a leadership role.
“Last season didn’t finish the way we would have liked and a few things went against us,” he said.
“We’ve been relegated but it was part of the reason why Omar wanted to step up. He liked the way the club responded to relegation and it signalled everything about the club and everyone stuck together.”
Fulton said it makes it a lot easier having someone who has been around the club before stepping up into the coaching role.
While Phillips only made his PEGS debut last season, connections within the club means he has been around the environment for a number of years.
Phillips, an opening bat, played two test matches for the West Indies.
He has played in both the VTCA senior division and the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association.
Fulton said that experience was important for their group. He also brings an extensive coaching resume.
“He’s been part of the first class system and brings a lot of that with him,” Fulton said. “He’s a highly regarded coach as well.
“He’s done a lot of one-on-one personal coaching with players from premier cricket, Subbies and VTCA and is still involved in the Craig Shield.”
Fulton said an important part of Phillips’ role was to help drive the junior program and help attract more juniors to the club.
The president said bringing through juniors into their senior program was the way that they were going to have sustainable success.
“We had six players in the first XI last season who were homegrown PEGS players who had come through our junior system,” he said.
“It’s the reality we find ourselves. We will have our core team with our own developed players and will top up with class like Omar.”
Having already locked in most of their players from last season, Fulton said the club was keen on not staying in the Steve McNamara Shield for long.
“We want to go straight back up,” he said.
