WOODFORD’S deep pool of talent has received a potentially season-defining boost.
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Tom Batten has returned for the Eels in a full-time playing capacity after missing the first half of the season.
It couldn’t have arrived at a better time, with Woodford languishing third-last after several missing several high-profile players in the opening two months of the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association campaign.
Woodford mentor John Houston described Batten as “the complete package”.
“He’s definitely an important player. He’s up and about in the field for us, bats well and takes the game on,” Houston said.
“He can hang around if he needs to as well. His leadership is important and it’s another pair of eyes for us in that respect.”
Batten top-scored for the Eels in his first game back against former club Nestles last week, grafting 18 runs on a bowler-friendly pitch in Koroit.
His efforts helped Woodford to its second victory of the season.
Houston, a three-time premiership coach with the Bushfield-based club, said the absence of senior players meant the Eels had handed opportunities to youth.
He revealed he was encouraged with their efforts.
“With guys like Tommy (Jackson) and Alex (Jennings) away we thought it was a good opportunity to play five or six kids out of the colts,” Houston said.
“They’ve done well. The results haven’t been going our way, but they’ve been coming through and it bodes well for the future.”
With a fixture against bottom-placed East Warrnambool looming, Houston said his players had to tune their mindsets to fit the two-day form.
“We’ll focus on things like batting for long periods, and building pressure,” he said.
“We have to knuckle down and take our time a little more which is something different. We have to be mindful of that.”