Tara Murray
Reigning premiers Deer Park has further strengthened its squad with the signing of Fawad Ahmed for the Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior division season.
Coming off their first senior division premiership, the Lions are keen to make sure they are up there again.
Coach Mick Andreadis said the signing of Ahmed was a big one for the club. Ahmed played both one-day and T20 cricket for Australia and had a success state and BBL career.
“We’ve been friends for years and I’ve always been trying to get him across but we had never got it done,” Andreadis.
“We had an opportunity this year. Keon Harding, who was our five point professional player, didn’t look like he was coming back as he had to look at other options.
“We got talking and it worked for both of us.
Ahmed played at his home club Hoppers Crossing last season after retiring from Victorian Premier Cricket. He took 56 wickets at an average of 8.77, the most in the north-west division.
While no stranger to what Ahmed can do, Andreadis said watching him at training every week had shocked him a little bit
“He is a really good bowler and is better than I thought,” he said. “Sometimes you don’t watch a lot of them, you just hear about them.
“Watching him, he’s a real crafty bowler.
The addition of Ahmed is the third big signing for the club. Aaron Shellie and Aaron Ayre joined the club from Coburg in the off season.
Andreadis said both would add to the group’s batting and bowling depth.
“I’ve been trying to get Aaron Shellie for 10 years and I kept persisting. We worked something out and Aaron Ayres came as well.
“They bring a lot of experience and more bowling talent to the group. Both are handy bowlers as well.
Andreadis said a decision on the batting order would be a tough one once the season got underway, but a good one to have.
He said as well as losing Harding, Fawad Malook is also not returning.
Having won the premiership last season after making the grand final the season before, Andreadis said they were now trying to stay ahead of the pack.
“Other clubs are bringing in players and getting stronger,” he said. “The competition is getting stronger and stronger.
“Ït will be a good challenge with other sides recruiting well.”
The VTCA season is set to get underway on October 5.
Andreadis said they were better prepared for this season than they have the past couple.
Ëveryone is on board bar one,” he said. “We weren’t at full strength at the start of last year and we started well.
“Hopefully start like last year, we were brilliant early on.”
