It may only be early in the off-season, but that hasn’t stopped Ballarat Cricket Association side Darley from pulling off a huge recruiting coup.
The Lions have signed Victorian Sub District star Heath Pritchard.
Pritchard will join the Lions after spending the past two seasons playing with Werribee, where he was outstanding with bat and ball.
He will captain the Lions in 2015-16.
Former Darley captain Matthew Cape said it was a huge signing.
“We’ve been chasing him for a while, but now the timing was right and he decided to come across,” Cape said.
“He will captain the side; I will hand over the reins there. And he will have a fair bit to do with the planning and the way we set up for next year.”
In his first season at Werribee, Pritchard scored 127 runs, took 47 wickets and played a huge role in the Tigers reaching the VSDCA grand final.
In his second season, he continued the form, smashing 293 runs and taking 30 wickets.
“To get someone of his calibre, I’d say he will be one of the best players in the competition, if not the best player,” Cape said.
“He’s more than a good cricketer; he’s a great bloke and very professional.
“That is why we targeted him. The young blokes around the side will be able to learn a lot from him.”
Terry Moloney will continue in his role as head coach.
Cape says the club will be looking to add an overseas player to complete its 2015-16 playing stocks.
“We will probably have one more big signing,” Cape said.
“We’re not sure if we will add a Sri Lankan import or an English import.”
The changes should go a long way to helping Darley re-climb the ladder next season.
The Lions finished eighth in 2014-15, winning just three matches.
Heath Pritchard stats
• Thirty-five first XI Premier games.
• 210 first XI sub-district games – 395 wickets and 3980 runs.
• Captain and representative player for VSDCA on five occasions.
• Twice in VSDCA team of the year.
• Twice runner-up in RM Hatch/Val Holten Medal for VSDCA champion player
• Five times in top five of RM Hatch/Val Holten Medal
• 10 times club champion at VSDCA level
• Has captained and/or coached at VSDCA level for 10 seasons
