FIVE overseas players will be in the Busselton-Margaret River Cricket Association with A-Grade and B-Grade games this Saturday. Dunsborough, who will host the first game of the season, will welcome back West Indian speedster Ricky Small-Boyce for his third season. Small-Boyce's season last year was cut short by injury but he looks to have made a full recovery and he will lead the attack. Experienced swing bowler Ian Purcell is Dunsborough's new A-Grade skipper after leading the club to a grand final spot in B-Grade last year. Dunsborough will miss allrounder Michael Walker, who is not expected to travel from Perth. Reigning A-Grade premiers St Marys, will journey to Dunsborough for round one, have recruited 19-year-old bowling allrounder Taylor Chandler from London to boost their chances of retaining the Barnard Cup. Former Dunsborough skipper Nick Ritchie has also been recruited by Saints. Danny Hatton will skipper Saints again, with other key players likely to include allrounder Ben Lloyd, keeper Kurt Davis and young fast bowler Lewis Milligan, who spent the winter playing some cricket in England. Margaret River Hawks, who were unlucky to just miss out on a spot in the grand final last season, have named two A-Grade imports with allrounder Rumesh Silva returning from Sri Lanka and opening bowler Rav Chandal arriving from the UK for his first appearance. Another new player for Hawks will be Trent Matthews from Melbourne. Wicketkeeper-batsman Shane Joyce will be an integral part of the side and will coach the Hawks. Hawks have also benefitted hugely from the decision by Augusta Cricket Club not to field a side this year, with five ex-Augusta players moving: both Warnke brothers, Tyson and Braden, and Blake Gillam, Charlie Flintoff and Jarrod Head. Mat Kent has been named as Hawks' A-Grade skipper, with Grant Garstone his deputy. YOBS Cricket Club, who play Hawks in round one, do not have an overseas player this year and will be pinning their chances on youngsters. Hard-hitting allrounder Haig Colombera will captain YOBS for the first time. Wicketkeeper-batsman Ben Clarke has switched to the Bunbury and Districts Competition and will be missed by YOBS in the quest for runs. Offspinner Jared Clark, who played in Kingsley in Perth, will be a new face for YOBS. In B-Grade cricket, Cowaramup have also recruited 18-year-old offspinning allrounder Tom Colson from Manchester. Cowaramup will miss Fraser Oates, who is playing cricket for Scarborough. Cowaramup stalwart Aaron Holben is also missing this year, working in Karratha. B-Grade captains have been named by St Marys (Peter Grygorcewicz), Hawks (Al Wilkie), Dunsborough (Andy Mahoney) and Vasse (Shane Bromilow). Vasse will be hard to topple in B-Grade, with virtually all of their premiership-winning team set to play again. Vasse named their first life members last season, with Alex Eades and Shane Callegari earning the honours. Late cricketers Leigh Maxwell and Brad Hallyburton were also honoured with "legends" status for Vasse.
C-Grade Cricket
FOUR of the seven clubs in the competition have named their C-Grade captains, with fixtures starting on October 19. Murray Gould (Vasse), Darren Cameron (YOBS), Tristan Mugford (Margaret River Hawks), Bruce Siney (Dunsborough) will be captains. Saints, have been boosted with seven youngsters named in the Cricket South West Academy: John Mottershead, Ryley Barrow, Zahkiya La Motte, Rory Calhoun, Spencer Drummond, Bailey Ford and Josh van Zyl. YOBS have recruited Jaco de Klerk from Dunsborough. Cowaramup have youngsters such as Connor and Finn Barrett-Lennard, Alex Cook, Darcy Whitelaw. Hawks' brigade include Euan Murray, Bailey Kelly, Taj Thomas.
