Tara Murray
Melton has had to make a coaching change just weeks out from the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association east-west season.
The Lions announced that Mitchell Stephens would step into the head coaching role, with Joel Mitchener taking on the assistant coaching role. Both had been part of the club’s coaching panel for this season.
The club had earlier appointed Sri Lankan Tharaka Gunaratna as coach for the 2022-23 season.
The Sri Lankan has a wealth of experience as a level 2 accredited England Cricket Board coach and has had eight years of playing and coaching experience in Yorkshire and Colombo.
Lions president Anthony Gale said the coaching change was beyond their control.
“After conversations with him Gunaratna over the weekend, we decided we didn’t think that he wouldn’t get the approval to come to Australia,” he said.
“He has a role over there in terms of coaching pathway cricket and needed a letter of approval to come to Australia and they’re not as free flowing as in the past.
“We don’t think he was going to get the approval to come across. We spoke with Mitch when we became less confident it would happen.”
Stephens and Mitchener had been taking training while they were waiting for the arrival of Gunaratna.
Gale said they had no hesitation in offering Stephens the role. Stephens returned to the club after 10 years in Victorian Premier Cricket.
“One door closes and another door opens,” he said. “So much energy in pre-season to date.
“There’s a pretty positive energy and everyone is pretty excited.”
Stephens is one of two key recruits confirmed for the Lions. Former captain Ben MacRae also returns after a couple of years off.
Gale said they were hopeful another former player would return pending getting approval to travel to Australia.
He said they were hoping this year they would have a bit more depth in the squad. The Lions failed to win a game last season.
“We have strengthened our batting line up,” he said. “ The boys have worked hard and there’s a few new faces.
“We’ve added some new guys through the grades. We think we’ll have a young fellow starting in the first XI.
“Hopefully we’ll get the players in the right grades and the boys will have to earn their spots and put pressure on and push for selection.”
The Lions are set to start their season on October 1 against Noble Park.
