Green Point Cricket Club have confirmed former Barbados seamer Allison Johnson’s appointment as head coach, ahead of the 2017-18 Western Province Cricket Association season.
Promoted from the 2015-16 Western Province Cricket Association first division B, Green Point Cricket Club occupied fourth position in the 2016-17 first division A, on the back of five wins in nine attempts – and will effectively target elevation to the 2018-19 premier league.
Johnson made five appearances for Western Province and Barbados during a brief first-class and List A career between 1988 and 1990.
“I’ve had a few chats with Allison – and I know he will bring structure and energy to both the first XI and the club as a whole. His vast knowledge of the game comes across really strongly and Green Point Cricket Club is a club is very close to his heart. We are not the complete package, yet, but the group has a lot of potential and Allison definitely has the know-how to turn that potential into something tangible,” new captain Zac Elkin, who has succeeded the veteran Donovan Henry, told Club Cricket SA.
“Donovan was a great servant to the club – and he will be greatly missed in a number of regards, not least as a player. Taking over from him, his are obviously big shoes to fill, but I’m confident in my ability as a leader – and I’m confident in the people around me. I know that if we can get certain things right, we can produce the goods. It will take time, though. Everyone at the club knows that the coming season will be one of consolidation.
“It’s a time of change at the club – and periods of transition are always a strange combination of exciting and intimidating. My message to the team will be to embrace the opportunity to move the club forward in our own way. As a group, we need to respect the history of Green Point Cricket Club, but also be brave enough to create our own identity, our own culture and our own way of doing things.”
Meanwhile, former Brackenfell Cricket Club all-rounder Sean Kristal has joined Green Point Cricket Club.