North Warrnambool Eels have been dealt a huge blow with captain Bailey Jenkinson set for an extend period on the sidelines.
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The Eels skipper broke his collarbone while diving for a catch in Saturday's Warrnambool and District Cricket Association loss to Mortlake.
Jenkinson is no stranger to the injury, having broken his collarbone twice previously and believes he'll be out of action for six-to-eight weeks.
He admitted the news was "disappointing" especially being the captain of such a youthful team.
"It's obviously not ideal but that's sport I suppose," he said.
"There'll be opportunities now for a couple of the other young boys to stand up."
Jenkinson's absence leaves a significant hole in the Eels' top-order.
The opening batter has struck a team-high 165 runs at an average of 41.3 this season, with a top-score of 76 against Brierly-Christ Church.
He has also contributed with ball in hand, chipping in with seven wickets.
Kory Howlett is the next best Eels' batter with 103 runs from two innings but has only featured twice this season due to injury.
The North Warrnambool skipper is unsure who will take the reins while he's away but pointed to Howlett and Jackson Grundy as potential options.
The Eels have started their campaign with two wins and two losses and face a good test in Dennington this Saturday.
Injuries at different stages to key players haven't helped the Eels' cause, with strike bowler Hank Schlaghecke (broken arm) featuring just once this season while Howlett and Grundy have spent time on the sidelines.
Despite the injuries, Jenkinson believes the side could be well-poised for an assault on the competition later in the season.
"As long as we can keep a few wins here and there, I think the back-end of the year you'll see, when all our players come back, a pretty strong side," he said.
As well as being a talented cricketer, Jenkinson is a star footballer for North Warrnambool Eagles in the Hampden league, where he will likely play again in 2023.
"I think I'm going to stay around another 12 months at North," he said.
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Matt Hughes
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
