Grand United has no fear being the hunted this Williamstown District Cricket season.
In fact, the Gorillas are looking forward to facing the challenge head on.
The target on the club’s back stems from a dominant finish to last year’s A-grade season, when Grand United came from second on the ladder to claim the premiership cup, defeating Williamstown Colts and Melton Centrals along the way.
It was the perfect end to the season for first-year coach and long-time Grand United star player Matthew Frew.
Returning for his second year in the top job, Frew has implored his young side to take nothing for granted to ensure its stay at the top end of the ladder doesn’t come to a premature end.
“Being a very young group, we need to go in with the mindset that we can’t expect it just to happen,” he said.
“We know we need to work even harder because other teams are really going to come at us.”
Jeremy Preston is the only member of last year’s first XI squad who has not returned to Grand United.
Preston is a big loss with the ball, as he proved in last season’s finals series.
With his side under pressure in its semi-final encounter against Williamstown Colts, Preston claimed 6-40 to help Grand United to a narrow win.
After keeping the rest of his squad together, Frew believes it’s vital for Grand United to again produce its best cricket at the business end of the season.
One player who epitomised that last season was Matthew Hayes.
The outstanding middle-order batsman made a combined 204 runs in his final three innings to finish the season with 464 at an average of 58.
The Gorillas will also be looking to Dillon Hinge, who made 444 runs, while new-ball bowler Wayne Donaldson will be looking to match his season’s 23 scalps.
“The top four sides in the competition were so even last year,” Frew said.
“What helped us was that we managed to play our best cricket in the last three or four rounds. We won the grand final pretty convincingly in the end.
“When we encounter tight situations again, it’s going to be great for the guys to be able to call on last year’s experience.”
But not everything went to plan for Grand United on Saturday, with the Gorillas going down to Melton Centrals by one run. After posting 7-148 with the bat, the Centrals bowlers had just enough in the tank to secure the win, restricting Grand United to 7-147 from its 40 overs.
Grand United will take on Williamstown Congs this week.
