BEN Rowles said it will be a “massive honour” to captain the Camberwell First XI for the 2021/22 Victorian Premier Cricket season.
The former Mildura Settlers premiership player will lead a young Magpies side into the new season, having played 49 top flight games since arriving in the 2012/13 campaign.
The 28-year-old top order batsman will be supported in the leadership position by Will Walker, with the young gun Victorian fast bowler elevated to vice-captain.
Within his career tally of 3750 runs at an average of 28.20, Rowles has chalked up five club centuries (four in the Second XI) including a top score of 122 in the First XI against Melbourne in 2018/19.
That same year, he was awarded the John Birch Trophy as the club’s champion player, the First XI Batting Average, and Alan Barr Trophy for the highest senior aggregate run-scorer for the season.
The left-hander said he is excited to lead a talented group of young players.
“It’s not something I was expecting or sought out but when I was approached about it I thought it was a massive honour as well as a challenge,” he said.
“We’ve had a bit of experience leave us in the last couple of years but we’re really focusing on developing these good young kids we have, a number of them who are in the Victorian Under 17 and Under 19 squads.
“These are young guys that just need opportunities to play at the highest level that can hopefully help them become hardened premier cricketers in the future.”
Former Victoria and Tasmania fast bowler Andrew Fekete has stepped back from the captaincy role, but will remain as part of the Magpies’ senior leadership as an assistant bowling coach.
Rowles feels his body is in good shape after significant injuries forced him to miss the majority of the 2020/21 season.
“Last year was a bit frustrating for me, I actually tore my hamstring in our first practice game,” he said.
“Four months and two surgeries later I was able to get back for the last two games of the season but that was it.
“I’ve been able to do the whole pre-season this year and I feel like my body is right to go.”
Rowles said while the focus will be on developing the club’s crop of young players, they won’t put a ceiling on what they can achieve in ’21/22.
“I don’t see any reason why we can’t be competitive. Even just getting five or 10 percent improvement from our players will make a big difference,” he said.
“‘Fek’ is a former Victorian and Australia A bowler and Will is one of the best in the State at the moment, so if we can make make enough runs I think we’ve got a good enough bowling attack to worry a few teams.
“Young guys like Liam Fitzpatrick and Will Townsend both made their First XI debuts last year at 16 and 17, and Ollie Jenkins is another on the way up. These are guys that have already had interest from State selectors so they will get their opportunities.”
Rowles admitted it had been a tough pre-season so far during another COVID lockdown.
“By the letter of the law we can’t train in nets so we’re just working in pairs doing what we can at the moment,” he said.
“It’s not ideal to have two pre-seasons in a row affected by COVID but there’s not much you can do. It’s not like any team is getting a leg up on anyone else.”
