Kyabram's Samuel Langley claimed man of the match honours.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
For the first three weeks of the Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield season, Kyabram was missing its latest recruit that would win the one day final man of the match.
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Its latest recruit is a local boy, returning from playing at Bendigo United and missing the opening three rounds of action due to playing cricket overseas.
He missed Kyabram’s only loss for the season in that patch too, against grand final opponents Central Park-St Brendan’s, but boy, did Kyabram’s secret grand final weapon make up for the time missed.
Samuel Langley, the 25-year-old pace bowler that joined the Redbacks in round four is currently sitting equal second in the Haisman Shield’s wickets tally with 19, despite playing three less games than leader and Central Park-St Brendan’s gun Ramadan Yze.
Not a single player in the league has a bowling average below 10 either - except for Langley, whose average stands at 7.21.
Kyabram coach Jackson McLay said into the lead up to the one day final that if there was any player that would be a match winner on Saturday, it would be the “hot form” Langley, who missed the last encounter with the Tigers.
McLay was right.
When the game was on the line, Sam’s the man you wanted with ball in hand.
Langley recorded team-best figures of 3-26 in Kyabram’s 43-run victory over Central Park-St Brendan’s, including a game-changing spell that delivered two wickets in two overs, including the Tigers’ most dangerous bat for the day Rhiley Lau, who produced a game-high score of 49 before Langley ended his innings.
Langley then removed number five bat Mitchell Brett, and sealed the premiership by claiming the last wicket of the day.
Winning his first senior flag of any sport, Langley couldn’t help but be thankful for the opportunity to claim Cricket Shepparton silverware.
“You play sport for the big games like this and to get out there and contribute a little bit is really nice,” Langley said.
Kyabram's Samuel Langley picked up three wickets in the one day final.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
“It's great that we've got the win, and it's always easy when the other boys at the other end are chipping in and making my job a bit easier.
“You're obviously a little bit nervous, but I was just pretty happy to get the opportunity.
“You get out there and just give it a crack and see how we go - I knew that on our day, we can beat anyone.
“So it was just nice to get out there and give it a go and try and put my best foot forward.”
McLay couldn’t have been more rapt with Langley’s man of the match performance, and with his overall bowling this season, in what has been regarded as a real difference for the 6-1, one day flag-winning Redbacks.
“Since Sam's come come into the team, he's just hit his straps from ball one,” McLay said.
“He makes us so much better, like he bowls with a bit more pace than probably the rest of us, but he's just so hard to get away.
“We've seen that today early in the power play. You'd think it could go either way on such a quick outfield, but his control and to be able to bowl at pace is fantastic.
“Around the group too, he's just fit in like he's been here forever.
“He’s been an unbelievable recruit, and it’s a good reward for effort for him today.”
The Redbacks will enjoy the premiership over the Christmas break, but a focus on securing the Haisman Shield double remains firm.
“100 per cent, red ball cricket is always the one that everyone sort of likes to give it a real crack,” Langley said on two day premiership aspirations.
“I think we’ve got a good side, we can hopefully go pretty far and just keep putting our best foot forward and see how we go.”
