Aussie cricket coach visits

IN the wake of Australia’s Ashes victory, Australian cricket coach Darren Lehmann made the trip to Leongatha to celebrate with local cricketers.
Together with former local and AFL football great Stuart Wigney and current Hawthorn captain Jarryd Roughead, Lehmann took part ownership of Leongatha’s McCartin’s Hotel.
He travelled to Leongatha last Tuesday and Wednesday for his first visit to the establishment.
“It’s beautiful, and it was great to meet the local people,” he said.
On Tuesday afternoon, Lehmann met with members of Town and Koonwarra/LRSL cricket clubs. These clubs are sponsored by McCartin’s Hotel.
Lehmann said the clubs approached Wigney and Roughead for sponsorship, and they were more than happy to support the local teams.
“It’s important to support clubs at a grassroots level; it helps to give everyone a chance to be involved,” he said.
Lehmann is a big support of junior cricket, and believes the game needs to be kept fast and exciting to keep children interested and outdoors.
“T20 and the Big Bash have helped with that; and it always helps when the Aussies win. We want them to follow our cricketers like Steve Smith, David Warner, and really develop an interest,” he said.
Lehmann said he is also a fan of women’s cricket, which he believes is getting bigger and better.
The coach said the support from all Australians during the Ashes series was second to none, and he had enjoyed celebrating the victory with local fans of the game.
Lehmann said he was feeling relaxed after the big win. As well as meeting local cricketers, he enjoyed a round of golf at Leongatha Golf Club on Wednesday morning.
“If I get the chance, I’d like to spend more time in Leongatha. When you’re on the road almost 365 days a year, it’s a good place to relax. It’s certainly somewhere I’d like to come back to,” he said.
Lehmann said he would also be following Town and Koonwarra/LRSL cricket clubs as they enter the business end of the 2017/18 season.

Co-ownership: former local and AFL football player Stuart Wigney and Australia cricket coach Darren Lehmann enjoyed a beer out front of McCartin’s Hotel on Tuesday. Wigney and Lehmann – along with Hawthorn captain Jarryd Roughead – took ownership of the business late last year.

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Posted by Sarah Vella on Jan 16 2018. Filed under Sport. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry