![Allansford-Panmure coach Kyall Timms is excited for the season ahead. Picture by Chris doheny Allansford-Panmure coach Kyall Timms is excited for the season ahead. Picture by Chris doheny](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/128797359/512e6a37-379a-44ee-81c8-441b91db9cd8.jpg/r0_265_5184_3191_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Allansford-Panmure coach Kyall Timms is eyeing off the first few games of the season, emphasising the need for a strong start.
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The champion Allansford all-rounder returns to his now-merged former club after four years living in Western Australia.
The Gators begin their season with games against Nestles, West Warrnambool, North Warrnambool and Port Fairy.
"That first month is vitally important for us, we need to get some wins on the board," Timms said.
"You don't want to be chasing wins just before or after Christmas. The first month really sets you up, so that's our aim to get our best team on the park and try and execute the good habits that we've created over preseason."
On the Gators' preseason, Timms said his side was coming off "pretty solid preparation", taking into account the weather and football commitments.
The team will look relatively similar to last year's outfit which finished ninth in division one, with the exception of young batting talent Noah Greene who has crossed to Russells Creek and the departure of wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Parker.
The side will be boosted by the addition of Timms himself, who was the WDCA Senior Cricketer of the Year in 2013-14.
Timms said the Gators also had a "couple of people in the pipeline" including an international who they were waiting on visa confirmation for.
The 36-year-old said some of the club's young brigade were worth keeping an eye on.
"We've got some exciting young players," he said.
"Ethan Boyd this year will hopefully take that next step. He's opened the bowling for us the last couple of years and he's got some good pace about him. He's another 12-months older and he's got a good fitness base behind him with his football commitments, so I'm looking to him to really lead our attack this year.
"We've got some other young blokes at the club - a bloke called Harry Turnham. He played very well in our intra-club trial match last Thursday so he'll get his opportunities.
"We've also got Kade Parker who will be looking to bat high up the order and hopefully take his division one cricket to the next level."
The Gators mentor - who will also captain the side with Chris Bant and Paddy Mahony as his deputies - wants to see every team at the club play finals.
"We don't play cricket to just make up the numbers," he said.
"We want to do it the right way and we want to play consistent, aggressive cricket, so that's the instruction coming from the leadership group.
"We put the work in for our preseason, we've made sure we've made the most of every opportunity we've had and now it's just a matter of executing that."
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