Sport
6 July, 2023
Bignell to lead Pombo
MATTHEW Bignell will lead Pomborneit Cricket Club’s division one side for season 2023-24.
MATTHEW Bignell will lead Pomborneit Cricket Club’s division one side for season 2023-24.
The recently appointed captain has last played for the club in the 2017-18 division one semi-final, having stints at Russell’s Creek in the Warrnambool District CA and Mitchell Park CC in Adelaide in intervening years.
Bignell had a previous stint as Pomborneit division one captain in the 2016-17 season.
He won the club’s division one champion award in 2015-16 and between 2013-14 and 2017-18 he played 56 division one matches for Pomborneit, making 1078 runs at an average of 21.56 including seven 50s, and taking 72 wickets at an average of 22.32.
Bignell is excited to take charge in his return to the club.
“I loved my time at Pomborneit previously and have been thrilled to see the growth of the club in my time away,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge of keeping the club as a serious division one contender and continuing the development of the players coming through at all levels.”
Bulls president Dave Murphy was pleased with the new appointment.
“We were super keen to get Matt back as a player but even more happy to get him involved in the captaincy role too,” Murphy said.
“He did a great job in his previous stint in the role, is a natural leader and a positive presence, as well as being a fierce but fair competitor on the field.”
While Grant Place leaves big shoes to fill, the club is confident Matt is more than capable of continuing Grant’s great work while putting his own stamp on the role.
Pomborneit secretary Luke Reynolds paid tribute to outgoing captain Grant Place, who stood down after five seasons as division one captain.
“Grant did an incredible job in charge, was a strong leader and wonderful front man for the club during a very successful period in the club’s history.
“We were lucky to have someone of his calibre in the role for so long; it’s a big ask to captain for five years and I know Grant is looking forward to enjoying his cricket without the pressure of captaincy.”
Place finishes as the club’s most successful modern-day captain with three division one premierships and three Twenty20 titles, putting him up with Geoff Boyd, who captained the club to five premierships in the 1940s and 50s, and Les Harlock, who captained three premierships in the 1930s and 40s as Pomborneit’s most successful captains of all time.