Southland cricket's man of many talents
Southland cricket's man of many talents
In some part, Jason Domigan now has racked up the full house in terms of job titles with the Southland Cricket Association.
It’s hard to think of too many people who have poured more into Southland cricket in recent years than Jason Domigan.
Shaun Fitzgibbon can probably enter the conversation when looking for another example.
In 2018 - as a player - Domigan was a key figure in helping Southland lift the Hawke Cup for the first time in 26 years with a win over Counties Manukau.
It was part of a lengthy stint in the whites playing for Southland, which included him captaining his province.
At the same time, Domigan also held the job of the Southland District Association’s general manager. He oversaw a significant growth in kids playing cricket during his stint at the helm.
After departing as general manager, to return to work in the Local Government sector, Domigan then stepped onto the SCA board where he ended up in the chairman role.
He has since stepped away from the board but has now found himself coaching the Southland Hawke Cup team for its 2023-2024 campaign.
In some part, Domigan now has racked up the full house in terms of job titles with Southland Cricket.
“Maybe not the groundsman, but I reckon I could probably claim that with the amount of covers I’ve pulled,” he joked.
Domigan’s initial intention wasn’t to coach the Southland Hawke Cup team this season.
“I had a couple of years on the board and we had a coach lined up but it fell through quite late in the piece. I said to the board I’m happy to pick up the coaching gig in the interim.
“Obviously I’ve got a fairly good relationship with a lot of the players, and the younger ones coming through I’ve had a fair bit of interaction with over the years.
“It just felt like an easy fit for the Association, and I’m not that far removed and have got a fair good understanding of where we are at and what we’ve got to be doing.”
He’s not wrong in regard to good relationships with the players given his brother Brendon is the Southland Hawke Cup captain.
Southland opened its 2023-2024 campaign with a first innings loss to Otago Country at Queens Park in Invercargill at the weekend.
Southland posted 264 batting first, on the back of Kieran Lloyd’s knock of 92, before Otago Country chased it down with six wickets in hand.
Although Domigan wasn’t too fazed by Southland’s first up showing.
“We didn’t really get the best of the conditions to be honest. We won the toss, which was great, but then the rain interruptions really choked our momentum. We were on and off.
“Charlie [Ottery], who was on debut, went in and just as he was walking in, they went off for rain and he sat there for two hours waiting to face his first delivery.
“Then we got back on, and he faced six balls and then we were off again for the rest of the day. So, he took it pretty well. It was a bit stop-start and a bit frustrating.”
Sixteen-year-old Ottrey, from Tapanui, was the only player on debut, although Domigan acknowledged it has a bit of a ‘changing of the guard’ feeling to the current squad.
“The guys that are there now aren’t inexperienced, but they are just not as experienced as the Shaun Fitzgibbons, the Hamish Skelts, the Jason Osbornes.
“It’s those sorts of players that aren’t there, they are the names you are used to seeing on every team sheet.
“So that means we are asking some of those guys that haven’t been senior players to step up into those roles.”
Southland’s next assignment is this weekend in Ashburton against Mid Canterbury.
“We are behind the eight-ball a wee bit now, so we do have to chase the game a bit… We’ve got to go out and get some outright wins so that’s what we’ll be chasing this weekend.”
There is just one change to the team from last weekend with Blake Buttar-Scurr unavailable because of work commitments. He has been replaced by Waikoikoi’s Kurt Thompson.
Southland team to play Mid Canterbury: Brendan Domigan ©, Chris Case, Sam Downing, Aaron Hart, Kieran Lloyd, Ben McCall, Jack Mockford, Jed Mockford, Sithum Niluminda, Charlie Ottrey, Kurt Thompson.