Print

[Millyjack]

Hi Guys,
Interested to hear how your overseas are doing this year? Ours is undoubtedly a good player, hasnt really got great figures as of yet but is what I would call high maintenance!!
Worth the hassle in your opinions??

[19reading87]

Who's yours mate?

[Millyjack]

Would rather not say! I was more interested in are they good/worth the hassle!!

[GarrettJ]

a good pro preforms on the pitch and also off it through coaching and working with youngsters. If they dont do the latter its a bit of a waste of money in my opinion. A lot of pros struggle early on as the wickets are a little soft.

[Nickauger]

We had a woeful one last year. Biggest waste of space ever. Turned up as a leg spinning all rounder and took 15 wickets and couldn't buy a run. In my experience, and I've no doubt I'm going to be hugely controversial here but if you're going to bring across a young player, make sure he's a Saffer, if you bring across and experienced player, make sure he's an Aussie. Indian and Pakistani players will work their socks off for very little reward, but in my experience, struggle a little with the social side.

My view is spend the air fare on putting some young, keen players through their level 2, and increase marketing of youth setup!

[Millyjack]

Ours does play a high level but also interested in folks tales of club overseas that come over, do they fit in, get the club banter etc

[smilley792]

My current club doesn't do pro. 

But I was at a club that tried the pro thing out.


First year, aussie batsmen. Great guy great player. Scored a ton more or less every Saturday and 50 plus on Wednesday.
Spent everyday at the club either helping ground man or coaching with all the junior sides.
He even set up his own events, and took youthful teams on a tour down south.

Worth every penny.


2nd year, an auntie batsmen. Averaged 29, didnt score a single ton.
Neither attend a net, never helped with youth. And ran off at the end off every game to get hammered down town.

Waste of space.

They actually stopped after that as put them off a little.

[Nickauger]

We have had loads of overseas in my time. And for the most part have been extremely lucky! IMO would take a young Saffer every time, wouldn't consider a young aussie. Worst overseas we've ever had was a Canadian bloke, who was pretty hopeless. Came over as a wk, I ended up replacing him in the 2's, as a 14 yo. That's how bad he was lol!

[GarrettJ]

I think West Indians are the best

[Nickauger]

Never had a West Indian actually. Can imagine they are just the right blend of fun and commitment?

[Cumbrian Pete]

We don't have overseas in our league but Kendal, my nearest Northern League team, have had Jamie How for two years and he has been excellent by all accounts.  Breaking records with the bat and contributing to the coaching and development of the junior teams off the field, as well as attending any number of functions.  Previous pros in Kendal have included Jacque Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs when both were around 17 - 18.  Both broke records left, right and centre and Kallis is still spoken of highly in Kendal as a great all round bloke.  Gibbs - bit of a wild one!

Kendal also have a West Indian guy called Terry Hunte who has played for them for over 30 years.  Came over as an overseas and never went back!  He is Kendal's record run scorer and still scoring consistently well although he's now in his 50s.  Never quite made it in the Windies but during the 70s that was a big ask.

[Manormanic]

Remember Mark Boucher playing with me at Lancaster in the 90s - before he broke into the big time, but he was absolute quality.

[pie-man]

I hope this doesn't turn into a c*ck-measuring contest...

We've have had Aussie U/19 players for the last 2 years, both are on contract at NSW.  Before that we had Craig Ervine, who left mid-season as he had been selected for the Zim squad.  Our league is fortunate to attract some good pro's, over the last few seasons, in the league we have had:

Glen Maxwell
Luke Ronchi
Michael Carberry (coming back from injury)
Lionel Baker (West Indian)

Maxwell opened the batting against us and hit the first ball of the game over cover for 6, then got out!

[Stuey]

Maxwell opened the batting against us and hit the first ball of the game over cover for 6, then got out!

Hope he got a send off!

[Gingerbusiness]

Ours is a borderline alcoholic from New Zealand.

Absolute lad!

Hell of a swing bowler mind! Gets it going around corners!