Southern District has recruited an opening bowler from Canberra Comets, Michael Delaney, who is here on a SACA scholarship. The 21-year-old missed a large part of last season with a knee injury but is determined to make an impression in SA. ``I’ve been training a bit with the Redbacks,’’ he said. ``My main aim is to improve my cricket. I’d love to get a (state) contract, but I want to be more consistent.’’
Kensington captain Jake Brown is determined to lead the Browns to the Grade Cricket title this season after being cut from the Redbacks’ rookie list. The 23-year-old all-rounder said he took his axing ``very hard’’ but returned from three months playing with Ribblesdale in England with a positive attitude.
``Of course, I took it very hard but there’s no point whingeing and crying about it. You’ve got to get on with it and the only thing I can control is my performances this season.
``It was really good to go away and get away from the pressures and talk about contracts and the state squad.
``But the number one goal for me becomes Kensington and the success of our A Grade side, so I’m looking forward to hopefully going two steps further this season.’’
Brown managed two Sheffield Shield games last season where he made 37 runs.
At Northern Districts, skipper Andrew Frick said there had been ``massive determination’’ at pre-season training after losing the Grand Final to Woodville last year. Frick will be hoping to back up from last year’s impressive season in which he was runner-up in the Bradman Medal, but said his main focus was on the team.
``If I only take five wickets this year and make five runs but we win the Grand Final, I’d much prefer that.’’
The Jets will be boosted by the return of Chris Duval who is on the Redbacks list after a stint in Tasmania.
``He’s a good Northern Districts lad and he’ll add a lot when he’s available,’’ Frick said.
``Hopefully for his sake, he’s not around, but we’d love to have him every week and add another opening bowler to our line up.’’
Sturt hopes to have Redbacks speedster Shaun Tait for most of the season.
``I’ve spoken to him and he’s keen,’’ coach Peter Judd said.
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`He loves playing for Sturt but he’s usually told he can’t play or he’s injured.
``From what I understand he won’t be playing any four-day cricket for South Australia so we’re expecting he’d be available to play more days of cricket for Sturt than the last three years.
``I think that’s been one game a year for the last three.’’
Paceman Trent Kelly has returned from a two-year stint in WA to spearhead West Torrens’ bowling attack this summer. The 25-year-old former Redback last played for the Eagles in the 2006/07 winning Grand Final and is hoping to lead the club back to the Grade Cricket finals. He has spent the past two years with the WA Warriors, working with top-class coaches, Dennis Lillee, Tom Moody, Bruce Reid and Trevor Penny. But after losing his contract this season, Kelly returned to Adelaide and is determined to have another crack at First Class cricket.
``I see it as an opportunity for myself to perform well in Grade Cricket and hopefully search for higher honours,’’ he said.
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`I’ve certainly set individual and team goals for West Torrens, and if I do all the right things and work hard on my game ...’’
Fitness should not be an issue for Kelly who played football with Henley Sharks - including the losing Grand Final to Goodwood - over winter. Now he can’t wait to take the new ball against Prospect in Round One this Saturday.
``We’ve had really good numbers and with the group of players we’ve got, we’re certainly looking to do big things.’’
Eagles coach Grant Wyman said Kelly, ``in the prime of his life’’, would be a major asset to the team with his enthusiasm and leadership.
Meanwhile reigning premier Woodville looks well placed to push for its third Grade Cricket title in a row by adding Tasmanian Joel Boucher and keeping the rest of its team in-tact. But it will be sweating on the fitness of all-rounder Chadd Sayers who faces a race against time to recover from an arm injury for Round Two.
And the talented Ken Skewes may miss the first month of the season with a finger injury.
Port Adelaide is hoping Victorian recruits Joel Davies and Tim Ludeman will help lead them back to the Grade Cricket finals this season.
Davies, 21, won Geelong’s best-and-fairest award last season after what he described as a ``consistent summer’’ but ``without anything major’’.
He batted at No.3 for Geelong that finished fifth in Victoria’s Premier Cricket competition. Davies said given the log-jam of players pushing for state selection in Victoria, he decided to cross the border and try his luck in SA.
``In Victoria they’re very strong at state level and I was looking for an opportunity in SA,’’ he said.
``I’d be disappointed down the track if I didn’t give it a crack over here.
``Port (Adelaide) got in touch with me, I had a chat with Mark Sorell (Redbacks coach) and SA seemed like a good fit.’’
Davies arrived in Adelaide in July and after three months of training, is itching to start the season.
``I can’t wait, it feels like it’s been almost a year since I’ve played,’’ he said.
Fellow Victorian, Ludeman, received a rookie contract with the Redbacks after a stellar season with Carlton. The 22-year-old was named Premier Cricket’s wicket-keeper of the year after finishing with 51 dismissals.
Tea Tree Gully will rely on an even contribution from its young squad as it strives to climb in to the Grade Cricket top four this season, new captain Adam Mossop says. Mossop, who replaces Ben Cameron as skipper in the two-day format, said the Bulls had added a couple of new players to its squad, including former East Torrens bowler Scott Strangio and Kensington all-rounder Scott Gillies.
``Scott Strangio played at Gepps Cross last year but he was in the grade cricket team of the year only a few years ago,’’ Mossop said.
``He’ll add a bit of variety to our bowling line-up because we haven’t had a left arm opener that can swing it. ``Scott Gillies will add depth to our batting and can also bowl when required.
``We need to improve in all areas, we’ve got a very young team so we’ll need everyone contributing rather than just a couple of guys doing everything.’’
Adelaide University has also added a Canberra recruit in Tom Thornton, but loses former Redbacks skipper Nathan Adcock to retirement.
Glenelg will field a new bowling attack after losing its three best bowlers from last season. Jason Donnelly has returned to New Zealand after receiving a First Class contract, Steven Rowe has moved to the UK with his wife and Shae Stuivenberg is expected to be sidelined with shin splints.
Draw for Round One, October 3/10:
Southern District v Northern Districts; Adelaide v Sturt; University v Tea Tree Gully; East Torrens v Glenelg; Port Adelaide v Kensington; Prospect v West Torrens, Woodville - bye.
Taken from Messenger Times Website 29/9/09
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