AXE Creek has undergone a major overhaul as it begins the first step of what the Cowboys hope will be a journey on the path to success.
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Since returning to the top division of the Emu Valley Cricket Association in 2019-20 following a three-season hiatus, the Cowboys have won just one of 25 games and claimed consecutive wooden spoons.
Their only win over the past two seasons came on February 8, 2020, when the Cowboys beat West Bendigo.
However, with new coach Paul Barber at the helm and a host of new recruits, the Cowboys will field a new-look - and hopefully much more competitive - team when they hit off their 2020-21 season against Mandurang on November 13.
In total there are 26 new players who have joined the Cowboys this season, with inclusions into the division one side to include Jack (batsman) and Tyson (bowler) Towers, Blake Hodgkiss (all-rounder) and Shiran Kulathunga (all-rounder) all from Huntly-North Epsom, along with Luke Hickman (all-rounder) and Liam Gill (bowler) from Maiden Gully and paceman Stephen Butterworth.
"With where we're coming from I've gone out and tried to target 20 or so of the best 18-to-21 year-olds in and around Bendigo to build for the future," said Barber, who has signed on as coach for the next three years.
"We'll be a young side and we'll have our ups and downs like all young sides do, but it's very exciting.
"Out of last year's A grade side there's probably only going to be three still playing in the team, so that should then strengthen our B grade and so on."
2020-21 captain Ash Dixon, Jakk Trenfield and Nathan Nikolic were all division one players last season who are earmarked to remain in the overhauled Cowboys top side.
"We will have a lot more pressure throughout to perform," Barber said.
"I've set the bar for us this season of winning five of our 14 games, which would be a good progression.
"We'll then see what we're lacking and try to address that for the next season and the expectation then would be to play finals.
"This is our building year after bringing in 26 new players, next year is about trying to make the finals and the year after that is pushing for that elusive premiership.
"Most of the guys we've got are around the age of 21, so in three years' time when they're 24 you'd be expecting them to take that next step.
"I've coached for a lot of years and this is one of the most exciting groups I've had to coach. There is tremendous enthusiasm and drive among the group."
With the increase in numbers at Axe Creek the Cowboys have expanded from two to three teams.
"It has taken a lot of hard work and I've had great support from the president Chris Lever. We're coming on in leaps and bounds and I think we'll surprise a fair few sides," Barber said.
SEASON FIXTURE:
ROUND 1 - November 13
v Mandurang (a)
............................................
ROUND 2 - November 20
Bye
............................................
ROUND 3 - November 27
v Spring Gully (h)
............................................
ROUND 4 - December 4
v Sedgwick (h)
............................................
ROUND 5 - December 11
v Marong (h)
............................................
ROUND 6 - December 18
v Emu Creek (a)
............................................
ROUND 7 - January 8
v United (a)
............................................
ROUND 8 - January 15
v California Gully (h)
............................................
ROUND 9 - January 22
v West Bendigo (a)
............................................
ROUND 10 - January 29
v Mandurang (h)
............................................
ROUND 11 - February 5
Bye
............................................
ROUND 12 - February 12
v Spring Gully (a)
............................................
ROUND 13 - February 19
v Marong (a)
............................................
ROUND 14 - February 26
v Emu Creek (h)
............................................
ROUND 15 - March 5
v United (h)
............................................
ROUND 16 - March 12
v California Gully (a)
LAST SEASON FLASHBACK:
Finished - 9th
Record - 0-13-3, 0.33%
Batting rank - 9th
Bowling rank - 9th
............................................
Leading run-scorers:
198 - Nathan Nikolic
157 - Ash Dixon
108 - Ben Ross
106 - Brad Warner
99 - Travis Nolan
98 - Connor Bulger
............................................
Leading wicket-takers:
17 - Jakk Trenfield
15 - Ash Dixon
13 - Nathan Nikolic
10 - Daniel Dixon
3 - Mitch Lawrence
3 - Jesse Trenfield
............................................
Leading MVP points:
547 - Ash Dixon
518 - Nathan Nikolic
384 - Jakk Trenfield
317 - Daniel Dixon
198 - Ben Ross
195 - Jesse Trenfield
HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS SINCE 2006:
v California Gully
Won: 3 Lost: 9
............................................
v Emu Creek
Won: 3 Lost: 8
............................................
v Marong
Won: 4 Lost: 9
............................................
v Mandurang
Won: 1 Lost: 11
............................................
v Sedgwick
Won: 4 Lost: 8
............................................
v Spring Gully
Won: 3 Lost: 7 Tied: 1
............................................
v United
Won: 2 Lost: 9
............................................
v West Bendigo
Won: 7 Lost: 7
MORE 2021-22 TEAM PREVIEWS:
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