Taylors Lakes has added another piece to the puzzle announcing Alex Deucher as playing-coach for the next Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association season.
After a winless season in 2020-21, the Lions have looked to reshape their group with some more experience.
Deucher brings exactly that having spent the last two seasons with premier team Kingston Hawthorn, as an assistant coach and one season as first XI captain.
Before that, the Englishman spent seven seasons at fellow subbies club Mt Waverley, where he was an assistant coach and helped the role of head of junior coaching development.
He captained Mt Waverley to a first XI premiership in 2015-16.
Lions president Rob Arnold said the club was excited to get someone of Deucher’s calibre on board.
“He has a lot of leadership and coaching experience and we think is someone who can help the young group.
“In the interview process he was the clear standout for us. He knows the lay of the land in subbies and enjoys this level of cricket.
“It’s a natural progression for him to take on a head coaching role.”
Arnold said Deucher had done some research on the club before the interview process and immediately sat on the same page as the club, knowing the results from last season didn’t reflect the true story.
Deucher replaces Glenn Marr as coach.
Arnold paid tribute to Marr, who has been a long time assistant coach at the club, took on the role at the last minute after the club struggled to get someone due to COVID.
“He did a fantastic job,” he said. “The players brought in and the morale at training was the best it has ever been.”
The signing of Deuhcer is the second big announcement from the club in as many weeks. The club announced that another Victorian Premier Cricket player in Trent Waring will be a playing assistant coach.
Waring, who played junior cricket at the club, was a star bowler with Greenvale Kangaroos.
Arnold said he was excited what their bowling attack can produce.
“We’ve now got Alex and Trent, and H [Hoa Lai] who won the bowling award and club champion coming up from the seconds,” he said.
“Depending on the situation, we have the choice of three bowlers to open the bowling, so we can throw the ball around.
“Jarrod Wakeling is also one of the best spinner in the competition.”
Arnold said ideally they would like to recruit a batsman to help strengthen the side. He said they had some good young batsmen, but they would like some more experience.
“We would like to get another batsman to help the kids,” he said.
“Luke Denny is only 18 and we’ve been nurturing him along with lots of opportunities to bat in the top six.
“Jason Denny is only 22, 23 and Harsahib Singh was able to hold his own, while still playing under-16s.
“Marcus Just is still in his early 20s.”
