Cricket North: Tom Lewis and Dihan Cloete among most improved

The Examiner takes a look at some of the most improved players of the competition for each Cricket North side so far.

The Lions have found their rhythm in recent weeks after a slow start to the campaign when the side was in-flux due to Greater Northern Raiders commitments.

While there have been marked improvements across the board over the past month, coach Andy Gower pointed to a member of the Lions' younger brigade in Dihan Cloete.

"He worked really hard in the pre-season and had a really good start to the year, he's aspirational to play at the highest level possible, he really wants to push for Raiders selection and we couldn't be happier with how he's listened and learned," he said.

Cloete's form as the new-ball bowler for the Lions has seen him capture 10 wickets at 13.10 with best figures of 4-28 against Devonport.

Gower also acknowledged the form of all-rounder Jackson Miller and veteran Dean Thiesfield as integral to the Lions' winning form.

Thiesfield has come into good form, showcasing his impeccable timing to pass fifty in the T20 cup as well as against Devonport in the GNC.

When Westbury's skipper Daniel Murfet wanted to give up the gloves this season, James Tyson sensed an opportunity.

Returning from Latrobe, Tyson was the benefactor of Murfet's decision to put more focus on his captaincy.

"He really took that upon himself to put in some hard work with it throughout the pre-season and still now because he hasn't really kept since he was playing school cricket," Murfet said.

"The way he's kept in the games we've been able to get out on the park for has been magnificent, he's barely put a foot wrong so far.

"He's yet to get a really good go with the bat which is where he does his best work usually but his keeping so far has been second to none which has been fantastic."

South Launceston captain Sean Harris picked big-hitting opener Mackenzie Barker as the player to impress him the most since the season began.

The Knights' batter has only notched 85 runs so far but his innings of 40 against Westbury early in the year showed his capabilities at the top of the order.

"It's just been really good to get Mackenzie Barker back in the team, he hasn't played for three or four year but he's a powerful striker at the top of the order," Harris said.

"Just having him at the top of the order with Sisitha [Jayasinghe] who's been our over opener for the last few years and having that partnership gives a bit more confidence to the middle-order."

The Eagles exciting start to the season can be underlined in the pause skipper Luke Scott took when deliberating over his pick for a most improved player.

While acknowledging many players have produced improvement, Scott pointed to opening bowler Ben Spinks' wicket-taking feats this season.

"I think his bowling has certainly gone to a new level at the start of our innings, he's been fantastic for the last two to four weeks," he said.

Spinks finds himself in the upper echelons of the wicket-taking charts after a spritely start to the season with 11 wickets at 13.55, including a season-best 4-35 against Latrobe.

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Opener Jason Snare also drew praise from Scott for his composed displays at the top of the Eagles' order.

Snare has been a consistent run-scorer for the Eagles with 156 runs at 31.20 with a top-score of 63 against Ulverstone which came closely after a knock of 61 against Riverside.

"He's got a couple of scores to start the season and he's one that we're probably talking about and we thin is probably going to have a bigger year," Scott said.

"Maybe we expected that but I think he's just got some improvement that's happened in his batting that's happened over the last 12 months and it appears he's ready to go the next step."

One of the Blues' bowling unit and a talented middle-order bat were the picks as Riverside's most improved so far.

Returning after a lay-off from cricket, Tom Lewis' impact with the new ball has not gone unnoticed by Cricket North fans or coach Lyndon Stubbs.

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Batter Zac Towns has returned to the side and his injection into the middle-order was also praised by Stubbs for his start to the campaign.

"Having [Lewis] in and bowling well at the top of the innings has been really important for us," Stubbs said.

"Towns is another one who hasn't played for a few years and has come into the group at the top of the order and made a massive contribution.

"I think those two have been the stand-outs performers in terms of improvement."

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