St Albans is confident it has what it takes to finally break its Victorian Turf Cricket semi-finals hoodoo.
The Saints have made the finals in seven of the past eight seasons but have yet to reach a grand final.
The most recent semi-final knockout was last season, when St Albans finished second on the north A1 ladder only to suffer a disastrous semi-final batting collapse against Haig Fawkner, losing 7-20 while chasing 147 for victory.
To try to make that final jump, St Albans president Ian McKenzie said his side had focused in the off-season on strengthening its batting line-up.
St Albans has signed Englishman George Wells, who will bat in the top order and bowl off spin, and will also welcome back Sri Lankan Gayas Christopher, who blasted 338 runs for the club last season.
“We have told our group that if everyone can improve five per cent … we should be able to win a semi-final,” McKenzie said.
“If we can get that improvement from our guys with a few exciting recruits coming in, there’s no reason why we can’t go all the way.
“We bowl all right in finals … we just haven’t been able to make enough runs.”
There has also been a change in leadership at St Albans, with Andrew Pizaro standing down as captain-coach. He has stepped aside after leading the club for four years but will remain at the Saints as a player.
Bowling speedster Tom Langley-Dunn has taken over the leadership role.
Langley-Dunn has played at St Albans for the past nine years and won seven best and fairest awards in that time.
He was clearly one of the most valuable all-rounders in the north A1 competition last season, blasting 259 runs and taking 45 wickets.
“Andrew did a great job while leading the club and we’re really rapt he is staying on to play,” McKenzie said.
“Tom has been excellent in his role so far.
“We had a meeting with all the committee and it was overwhelming support for him to take over.
“He’s ready for it and we’re really looking forward to it.”
The 2015-16 VTCA season kicks off this weekend with St Albans beginning its campaign with a one-day fixture against Merlynston Hadfield at Kings Park Reserve.
The club’s first two-day match will be a visit to Avondale Heights at Canning Street Reserve in round two.
Meanwhile, the Victorian Sub-District season began last week, with Sunshine taking on Ormond.
Ormond blasted 303 in its first innings at E. E. Gunn Reserve and Sunshine is in early trouble at 2-18 in reply.
Opener Deakyn McIntyre (4) and number three Vikram Thampy (3) are already out.
Sam Magnano is unbeaten on seven.
