ENGLISHMEN Ryan Plom and Adam Ranson are getting an early taste of Australian heat ahead of their Ballarat Cricket Association debuts.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Part of a new wave of imports in the BCA this season, Plom will line up for North Ballarat and Ranson with East Ballarat in the season opener on Saturday.
Each is fulfilling a long-held ambition to play in Australia, and been recruited to help lift North Ballarat and East Ballarat out of the wilderness and back into finals contention.
North had just the one win last season and finished with the wooden spoon, while East had an improved campaign with five wins for sixth position.
Plom, 22, is hoping to make his name as a top order right-handed batsman/wicketkeeper for the Roosters. He has been opening the batting, but says he will be pleased to bat wherever it best suits new coach Adam Eddy.
Plom said it had been a Facebook message from Eddy which had initiated contact with North Ballarat and led him to settling on spending an English winter in Ballarat. Plom hails from Essex, where his home town is Corringham. he has spent six seasons playing with Orsett in the Essex League’s first division.
Despite putting out feelers through an English-based player agent early in the year, Plom said he almost changed his mind about making the trip despite getting a few offers. He said it was Eddy who persuaded him and his partner Shannon to go ahead with his original plans.
The university graduate said a few Orsett teammates who had spent time in Ballarat also helped him make up his mind to make the trip.
Ranson has arrived at East Ballarat from Tenterden, with which he played in the Kent League first division.
Like Plom, the 19-year-old all-rounder – he is a right-hand batsman and eight-arm seem bowler – found his way to Ballarat through a player agent in England. He said it ultimately came down to a choice between Auckland and the Hawks. with East Ballarat’s Jeremy Collier using his persuasive powers to get Ranson to the BCA.
Ranson said he had always wanted to play in Australia and East Ballarat having a largely young team had appealed to him. He said he was hoping to use this as a springboard to trials with county teams Sussex and Kent next year.
BCA firsts opening round fixture (October 10-17): North Ballarat v Golden Point, Wendouree v Coronet City, Brown Hill v Darley Brown Hill, Napoleons-Sebastopol v Ballarat-Redan, Mt Clear v East Ballarat
