Final Siren | Could a Cricket Shepparton English XI topple the league’s homegrown stars?
If a Cricket Shepparton Ashes kicked off, who would be involved in the English XI to combat the association’s homegrown stars?
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The local ranks have long been enriched with outstanding English imports, a trend on the incline not just in our region, but across the nation.
Several have walked off the plane and made an instant impact, while others have been long-standing contributors for their clubs over a sustained period of time.
But if called upon, could an All-English XI take the chocolates? It’s a concept that was put to the test back in February, albeit with an entire pool of imports to pick from.
The league hosted a one-off match between some of its brightest under-23 talent and an XI made up of the competition’s overseas players, with the Cricket Shepparton International XI 61-run winners in a well-received and fascinating fixture at Princess Park.
A fixture is hopefully on the return, but this hypothetical is taking a fun look at the current crop of English players.
Analysing that very question, based on factors such as current form and ongoing contributions, reveals that, at the very least, a team selected from the Cricket Shepparton ranks would give its opposition a mighty contest.
And after England’s capitulation in the first two Ashes games, on current form it could possibly give Ben Stokes’ men a run for their money.
Felix Odell (Old Students)
The Old Students co-captain made his first appearance in the competition back in the 2014-15 season and has established himself as one of the league’s most reliable batters.
With 5000 runs - including seven centuries - to his name, Odell’s contribution to the Students has been extensive, and he’s been working into his season nicely recently with a ton against Pine Lodge headlining his recent offerings.
Callan McCabe (Old Students)
Into his sixth season at Kialla Reserve, the all-rounder turned opener has delivered at the top of the batting and bowling orders.
The classy right-hand bat has 1827 runs to his name but his ability as a strike bowler up top for the Students makes him a dynamic option on both fronts, his 115 wickets coming at a very tidy average of about 20.
Raguvaran Aravinthan (Numurkah)
The Blues’ number three has been dangerous with both bat and ball during his three Cricket Shepparton seasons.
Aravinthan has been a match winner and saver in equal measure over the journey and has continued to offer plenty this year as well, whacking 253 runs and collecting 10 wickets to perch himself atop the champion player points in the Haisman Shield.
Cyrus Shafi (Mooroopna)
Shafi has established himself as one of the Lightfoot Medal frontrunners in his first season of Cricket Shepparton action.
The Cats’ number three has waltzed in and been a revelation, striking 239 runs and claiming 15 wickets with his left-arm spin variety.
Dylan Hardy
It’s been a tough start to the season for Pine Lodge, but the form of top-order import Dylan Hardy has been a bright point.
A century in his first Haisman Shield game set the tone for his campaign, his 315 runs in seven games includes a half-century for the Northern Rivers under-21 representative side.
Dan Coombs (Tatura)
No list such as this would be complete without one of Cricket Shepparton’s longest-serving Englishmen.
Coombs’ record speaks for itself; after 243 games, including 77 for Old Students and 49 for Tongala in Goulburn Murray Cricket, the Tatura coach has walloped more than 6000 runs and claimed 188 wickets.
Add in a Cricket Shepparton premiership, Team of the Year honours in both Shepp and the Goulburn Murray along with a plethora of batting awards, and it’s a hell of a resume.
Henry Barrow (Mooroopna)
The left-arm pacer’s debut 2019-20 season will go down in folklore for his 49-wicket haul that saw him well in contention for the Lightfoot Medal.
But it’s a standard that has been maintained by the Cats’ coach for some time.
In five seasons since first barrelling down a delivery, his 150 wickets have come at an average of just 13.9, establishing himself as one of the competition’s premier strike bowlers.
Jack Gaskill (Mooroopna)
More often than not, Mooroopna’s captain has delivered when his club needed him most.
A winner with both bat and ball, Gaskill’s 122 wickets and more than 1000 runs have been littered with match-saving efforts and a true leader’s edge.
The two-time premiership Cat has been there and done that, and he would be a fine representative in an English representative side.
Louis Sabbagh-Holt (Kyabram)
The enigmatic Redbacks spinner strolled through the door three seasons ago and hasn’t looked back.
A crafty left-arm spinner, Sabbagh-Holt has snared 67 wickets and brings a dynamic edge to the Kyabram attack, placing second and third on the Redbacks’ wicket-taking charts in recent seasons.
Kiran Green (Tatura)
Tat’s number four has failed to drop below double digits all season, and it seems something has clicked for the consistent right-hander.
Green has scored 190 runs before the Christmas break, but his recent 76 against Mooroopna proved he might be a rising force in the red-ball variant of the Haisman Shield season.
Jake Callow (SYCU)
The Shepparton Youth Club United left-hander also appears to be working into his campaign.
Callow has been a consistent performer with 711 runs in three seasons for the Princess Park-based outfit, and with scores of 43 and 70 in his most recent digs, it’s fair to say the hard-hitting batter is a danger at the top of the order.