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Southern Premier League youngsters fairing well in Australia
Mike Vimpany - 5 December 2001
BAT Sports all-rounder Damian Shirazi, recently named Southern Electric ECB Premier League Young Cricketer of the Year, is honing his skills "down under" in Sydney under the watchful eye of established Australian Test stars Geoff Lawson and Michael Slater.
The Test pair are colleagues of Shirazi's at the University of New South Wales Sydney Grade club, where the promising BAT all-rounder is spending the winter.
Shirazi, who has hit a century and two half-centuries since linking up with Sydney-based BAT team-mate Dave Carson, has already picked up some bowling tips from Lawson, who spearheaded Australia's attack in 46 Test matches in the 1980s.
"Geoff is in charge of coaching at the club and has helped me quite a lot with my bowling," explained Shirazi, who took 3-29 with his medium-pacers in a recent Sydney Second Grade match.
"We don't see that much of Michael Slater, because he's away playing for the New South Wales State side most of the time.
"But, when he comes back to play at the University some weekends, he invariably opens the batting with Dave Carson, who helped BAT win the Premier League this summer.
"It's amazing to see guys like these in your club."
Shirazi, whose ambition is to make the grade as a professional cricketer, won the prestigious Premier League Young Player award after a splendid all-round season with BAT.
An ultra-competitive all-rounder, he notched 626 runs last summer, including six half-centuries, at an average of 44.71 and also picked up 15 wickets.
"Damian matured a lot as a player during the summer," praised BAT vice-captain Richard Dibden.
"He works very hard at his game and is very keen to learn, which is why he's spending the winter in a pretty demanding arena in Sydney.
"I think he has the fundamentals to do very well and, because he wants to listen and develop his game, he has the chance to go further."
Shirazi, who captained England Schools in the past, has led various Hampshire YC teams, but seems to have missed out on a Hampshire contract next season.
"He'll come back in March an improved and even more determined young player," Dibden forecast.
Bournemouth left-hander Tom Webley is spending the winter on the opposite side of Australia and recently made his WACA First Grade debut for South Perth.
"A totally different ball game,"Webley described his debut in the delightful Richardson Park ground alongside the Swan River.
"I faced the fastest bowling of my life - I think they put in an few extra paces because I was a Pom," added Webley, who has also done a day's 12th man duties forWestern Australia.
"I did the 12th man's job in the Pura Cup game against Queensland at the WACA. It was an amazing experience. The place was humming with big name players, whom I'd previously only seen out here on television."
Hampshire Under-19 hopeful Steven Snell, from Ventnor, who is to join the MCC Young Cricketers staff at Lord's next summer, is among the runs in South Africa.
Although he is currently only playing in the Boland Superjuice Second Grade competition, Snell, 18, has produced a string of high scores for Hermanus.
The Island teenager, who could be joining Havant next summer, chalked up 334 runs in his first six knocks, including one score of 159.
Former BAT player Steve Rudkin is playing in the same Hermanus side - and been successful with his medium-pace bowling.
"I've done a good deal of bowling since I came here from Durban, and have had two pretty useful returns - one of 7-81 and another of 6-67.
"Unfortunately, my batting hasn't been quite so successful, but I'm working hard on my technique," Rudkin confirmed.
The other local youngster playing in the Cape, Calmore's Paul Cass, is finding it hard going in the Hermanus first team, managing only 69 runs so far.
© SPCL / Mike Vimpany / Daily Echo
| Teams | England. |
| Players/Umpires | Damian Shirazi, Geoff Lawson, Michael Slater, Richard Dibden, Thomas Webley, Stephen Snell. |
| Tournaments | Southern Electric Premier League |
| Season | English Domestic Season |