Eastern Hill’s Seamus Feery will continue as the Eagles skipper this season after earning promotion to the top flight McIntyre Cup competition. Photos: Elite Edge Creative.
Eastern Hill Cricket Club has been made to wait an extra week before seeing any action in the 2026-27 Gisborne and District Cricket Association season, with the season opener at the weekend washed out as storms lashed the region.
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Having last year earned a double triumph with both the first and second XI claiming premierships, Saturday was set to be the Eagles’ first taste of the GDCA top grade, with the first XI promoted to the McIntyre Cup this season.
While the scheduled one-day clash against Woodend at Gilbert Gordon Oval was abandoned, Eastern Hill will look to instead get their campaign under way at the second time of asking with the home clash against Romsey at Kings Park this Saturday.
The Eagles have been a dominant force since their switch to the GDCA, making the Johnstone Shield 1sts decider in the 2024-25 season, the club’s first in the league, before going unbeaten last year, capping a superb season with a stunning seven-wicket win in the decider over Diggers Rest Bulla Village.
It was a double dose, too, with the Eagles’ second XI claiming victory over Diggers Rest Bulla Village on a dream day at Kings Park for the club, earning victory by 10 runs to cause absolute pandemonium for the Eagles faithful.
Ben Bryant will serve as the Eagles first XI vice-captain this season after a superb campaign last season saw him crowned Trevor Chapman Medallist.
Promotion to the McIntyre Cup seconds competition this year has ensued, with the Eagles set to take on Romsey at Romsey Recreation Reserve this Saturday in the first clash of their campaign, after all senior contests were wiped out at the weekend.
The third XI will also get its season under way this weekend, taking on Woodend at Woodend Racecourse Oval on Saturday, as they make their Jensen Shield debut, having last season competed in the Club Grade North competition.
Across the club there has been little change in terms of leadership, with Seamus Feery and Ben Bryant set to reprise their roles as captain and vice-captain of the first XI, respectively, with Feery having averaged 33 with the bat last year, while Bryant is the reigning Trevor Chapman Medallist as club best-and-fairest, scoring 530 runs last season, while also taking 46 wickets.
Pete Speechley will continue as B-grade skipper and will be joined by Josh Speechley as vice-captain, while Eric Loweke will step into the C-grade role, having played in last season’s second XI premiership, while reigning club grade MVP Chris Russell will be vice-captain.
Junior cricket is set to get under way, too, with the under-15s set to get their campaign started at Kings Park this Saturday, taking on Woodend under-15s Green.
