Behind the Stumps: Recruit Simon Sharrock firing for Hawkesdale

Just ask boom Hawkesdale recruit Simon Sharrock, who is quickly making a name for himself as one of the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association's most destructive players.

The 37-year-old, who hails from Macarthur, couldn't have asked for a better start to his career at the Cats in the division two competition.

Sharrock, a swashbuckling top-order batter who has made bulk runs across a near three-decade career with home club Macarthur and more recently Hamilton for three seasons, almost made it three centuries in a row last Saturday to kick off season 2023-24.

In round one he whacked 100 off 86 balls on debut before backing it up the following week with 107 off 83. On Saturday, he was well on track to achieve the astonishing feat but was caught for 65 off 47.

That's a staggering 272 runs from 214 balls with 11 sixes in just three matches.

He said it had been an enjoyable start to life at a new club and admitted not knowing much about the Warrnambool competition had its benefits on the field.

"It's all feeling pretty good at the moment. It's been a bit different, it's my first time in my own career where I'm not really sure what I'm coming up against in a way," he told The Standard.

"I don't really know much about the other teams to be honest or the cricketers I'm coming up against each week. I'm feeling really good with the bat though, I've enjoyed it."

Sharrock, who represented Hamilton District in last year's Melbourne Country Week carnival and made a century against Bellarine Peninsula, arrived at the club this year through strong football and family connections.

He plays in the Mininera league for Hawkesdale Macarthur in the winter.

"It all kind of happened when my kids decided they wanted to come out and play here, just because they go to school there," he said.

"It made it a lot easier for them to head there after and train.

"That was the driving force for me to come here but I've played footy with quite a few of the boys for a while so that was another factor that's got me here."

Despite not reaching a rare triple-treat of centuries to kick off the season, Sharrock said the division two was in good shape, sitting undefeated.

"On the weekend it was great, the two openers got off to a really good start and I didn't have to come in until later in the innings, which suits me perfectly," he said.

"It's a bit of an unknown for me, but the club seems to be moving in the right direction though, it's a pretty good side on paper.

"It's good to get these wins early and really set up our season towards the back-end when we can get a consistent side together."

Hawkesdale plays Dennington away from home on Saturday in division two.

One of the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association's most decorated players of the modern era enjoyed an excellent debut while playing for Adelaide University in the South Australian Premier Cricket competition on Saturday.

Former Port Fairy star and current Sri Lankan first-class player Jason Perera - who won the WDCA's champion player of the year twice - took 4-59 from 18.5 overs against Tea Tree Gully in the 23-run loss.

The all-rounder, who was unable to play for the Pirates this season due to visa complications after 98 division one matches, played alongside one-time Test match bowler and ex-South Australian star Joe Mennie in the match.

Warrnambool cricket product Steph Townsend was another player at Premier level who excelled on the weekend.

The highly-regarded athlete, who plays with Geelong's first XI women's team and coaches Koroit in the WDCA, made 56 and took 3-30 against Box Hill on Sunday.

WDCA division one cricket this weekend will see the return of turf wickets for a full round for the first time this season.

Hard wickets have been used for the first month of the season but it's time to peel back the covers and see how they'll behave after a dryer start weather-wise as opposed to this time last year.

Will turf pitches start to separate teams and begin to shape the ladder?

Former North Warrnambool Eels (formerly Woodford) champion Nick Butters is a man in serious form.

The highly decorated ex-WDCA great and former Woodford premiership player is the current captain of South Barwon in the Geelong association and blasted 112 against Grovedale last weekend to continue a golden start to his summer.

It goes along with scores of 76 not out and 30, as well as a haul of 5-29 against St Josephs.

SWC Team of the Week

Matthew Boyle 77 (Cobden); Ryan Mottram 68 and 2-9 (Heytesbury Princetown); Campbell Walsh 63 not out (Cobden); Jye McLaughlin 63 (Camperdown); Henry Moyle 54 not out (Boorcan); Sam Melican 44 (Cobden); Tim Fitzgerald 4-11 (Bookaar); Darcy McKendry 3-10 (Boorcan); Paul Vogels 3-20 (Heytesbury Princetown); Noah Boyle 5-29 (Boorcan); Myles Sinnott 3-55 (Bookaar)

WDCA Team of the Week

Michael Harricks 103 (Nestles); Tyler Mungean 80 (Wesley Yambuk Titans); Jacob Fishwick 75 (Northern Raiders); Joe Nyikos 78 (West Warrnambool); Ben Threlfall 64 (West Warrnambool); Arambage Kanil 46 and 2-20 (Dennington); Rukshan Weerasinghe 50 (Russells Creek); Craig Britten 45 not out and 2-29 (Russells Creek); Xavier Gercovich 3-13 (Brierly-Christ Church); Oliver Noonan 4-12 (Russells Creek); Sam Worden 3-33 (Dennington)

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