The Southern Flinders Ranges region of South Australia continues to establish connections with elite cricket, with the further joint activity between Northern Areas Cricket and the Adelaide based Darren Lehmann Cricket Academy. Fresh from celebrating the rise of former Academy scholar Joe Root to the England Test Team, Head Coach and former local Shaun Seigert, impressed with the local talent on show during the Academy’s recent visit to Jamestown in November, offered a one week placement with the Academy to Orroroo speedster Todd Baker from the 21st of January, which he has just completed. Baker impressed with 1/17 from four overs and 42 runs in November’s Twenty20 match featuring the region’s best players and the scholars of the Academy, who were mostly English County Cricketers. He has also made a few Grade Cricket appearances in Adelaide with the Tea Tree Gully Cricket Club.
A huge positive from Todd’s visit was the presence of England Test and One Day international fast bowler Liam Plunkett who will be training at the Academy for the latter half of the Australian Summer. Plunkett has made two previous tours of Australia with the national side and is hoping that this summer’s visit will improve his chances of a third visit next summer.
It’s a further boost in establishing such links between the Mid and Upper North region and the upper level of the game, adding to recent visits to Jamestown from Australian Cricketers Nathan Lyon and Dan Christian, as well as several specialised coaching sessions from former Redbacks coaching staff Mark Sorrell and Greg Quinn.
Talks are already underway towards a further visit from the Academy in 2013/2014 with the potential of another young up and coming cricketer from the region being offered such an opportunity next summer.
About James Lang
A committed volunteer who loves Australia's game. Based in Jamestown in South Australia's Mid North, the birthplace of RM Williams, I work closely with the local Football, Netball and Cricket clubs. A rewarding involvement has been in establishing the social interaction group Backyard Football League Australia.
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