Tyson Royal to captain Ecklin in its return to SWC division one

The 18-year-old joined the Frogs in the off-season from Terang's top-grade team and will lead Ecklin's first XI side in its first division one campaign in years.

Ecklin, alongside Boorcan, was promoted to the top-grade for the 2023-24 season after a motion was moved that all clubs must field a side in division one.

The decision came following the departures of Noorat and Terang - who joined the Warrnambool and District association as a merged entity - and lower-grade club Simpson which left for the Colac and District Cricket Association. Heytesbury Rebels also merged with Princetown in the off-season, becoming Heytesbury-Princetown and will contest all three divisions.

The Frogs finished last in the 2022-23 division two season but are welcoming the test of the higher grade which gets under way on October 21.

"Everyone's really excited about it, just excited to take on the challenge," Royal told The Standard.

"Just have to take it one week at a time, we'll obviously be learning a lot of different things from it. (We) just have to crack in, put in all the one percenters and that sort of stuff."

Royal is keeping his expectations measured ahead of the season.

"Just in the first couple of weeks we'll be trying to settle in and just get used to the intensity," he said.

"Obviously the step up to 50-over cricket is a big thing for a lot of players who haven't played it for a while."

Royal, a batting all-rounder, said having mates at Ecklin and the lure of a "fresh start" drew him to his new club.

He said the side had maintained a relatively similar list to last season with a host of youngsters eager to take the next step in their development.

The third-year plumbing apprentice is "proud" to be handed the captaincy at such a young age and looking forward to taking on the role.

"(I'm) really excited," he said.

"Obviously it's a new challenge and it'll be a good learning curve.

"Being so young it'll be really good learning. Just excited to see what everyone's all about, see what we can do."

Royal is also hoping to contribute with his pace bowling after only bowling spin last year due to an ankle injury which has since healed.

He will be aided in the leadership space by vice-captain and opening bowler Oscar Sanderson, who Royal said would be "pivotal in our step up to division one".

Ecklin president Troy Logan said the club was "looking to embrace the challenge" of playing in the higher grade.

"A number of our players haven't played division one cricket before in the South West so they're embracing the challenge," he said.

"It's not going to be an easy ride that's for sure. It'll be interesting to see what happens in that first-half of the year, it'll be a good measure to see where we're at as a club."

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