Tara Murray
A challenging season on field hasn’t stopped Hanging Rock on field in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association Jensen Shield.
The Heelers sit atop the table after nine rounds, despite being thrown challenge after challenge in the early part of the season.
Flooding in late October meant the club’s ground at Hanging Rock was out of action until after Christmas.
It meant a lot of work behind the scenes to keep everyone involved and getting out on the field.
Coach Jarrod Milsom said he was proud of how everyone at the club had responded.
“It has been a massive year in terms of challenges,” he said.
“We haven’t trained at our ground until last week and the first half of the year we were training at different places.
“It’s been about keeping people engaged and playing cricket, so to be on the top of Jensen is pretty pleasing.”
Milsom said the challenges they had faced had brought the side closer together. They’ve had to do training sessions in Gisborne, Kyneton, Lancefield and Sunbury.
“It has been great for us, as it’s shown that guys just want to play cricket and get together,” he said.
“My message was we might not have been able to play games and train at home, but to be flexible and stick together.”
The Heelers are undefeated through nine rounds, with one outright win, five first innings wins and three draws.
Milsom said they had set high expectations for the side this season.
“We are playing really well,” he said. “Our captain Brandon Nicholls has been outstanding with the bat and there’s three of us who have 10 wickets or more and a few more not far behind.
“The depth is really strong and we’re playing really well. The goal for us this year was to finish in the top four and win the premiership.”
Milsom said while the team had one less team than last season, the work they had done giving younger players opportunities the last few years had paid off.
The club’s junior program is growing with two under-11, an under-13, under-15 and under-17 teams.
The Heelers will have the opportunity to play several games at home in the run home, after having to switch games earlier in the season.
The Heelers are set to face Malmsbury on Saturday.
