NEW Merrivale batsman Liam Jukes is content to fly under the radar in his inaugural foray into cricket in the south-west.
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The former Bendigo man, who relocated to Warrnambool to site manage the city’s new regional cancer care centre with Epworth, is settling into the Tigers’ top order and is making his name at number three.
Jukes said he was enjoying life at the club after “three or four years” out of the game in the north of the state.
“I’m really enjoying it. It’s a really friendly environment and the competition is a high standard. Just playing again is good,” he told The Standard.
I’m really enjoying it. It’s a really friendly environment and the competition is a high standard. Just playing again is good.
- Merrivale's Liam Jukes
“I’ve been quite lucky with the scores I’ve made so far. I’d like to make some more runs and help out the team.
“Like all teams we want to play finals and really blood some of the younger players to stay competitive.”
Jukes’ start to life in the south-west has yielded a high score of 42 – against Russells Creek last week – and he will resume fielding duties for the second week of the clash on Saturday.
Merrivale posted 123 runs from just 56 overs, with Jukes, Fleming and captain Luke Gannon the only batsmen to reach double figures.
Fleming, a key part of the Tigers’ youth who has been granted a chance in division one this season, has joined Dylan Lovell and Jarrod Petherick as one of several key stars making his mark in the top grade.
Juggling division one with under 17 duties, Fleming has an average of 27.8 in the top division and has blasted his two highest scores – 39 and 33 – in the last fortnight.
The Tigers will head into the Christmas break in ninth overall – pending Saturday’s result – but equal second on the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association Twenty20 ladder.
They, like Russells Creek, East Warrnambool, Nestles, Woodford and West Warrnambool are still vying for top honours in the short-form game with Twenty20 action set to resume on January 7.
Russells Creek, who is locked in top spot on the Twenty20 ladder with three wins and a draw, will be seeking redemption following a heartbreaking loss to Woodford in the one-day grand final.
The WDCA Twenty20 final is on January 15.
