Premier Cricket: champion paceman Trent Lawford leaves Fitzroy-Doncaster

What a blow for Fitzroy Doncaster: the Lions have lost their Ryder Medal champion Trent Lawford, as well as fellow fast bowler Chris Moore.

PREMIER Cricket’s most damaging player is on the move.

Fitzroy Doncaster has confirmed champion paceman Trent Lawford has departed the club after four seasons.

And former Tasmanian quick Andrew Perrin’s future is undecided, with a possible move to Premier rival Prahran.

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Underrated left-armer Chris Moore has also signed at Eastern Cricket Association club Canterbury, leaving Fitzroy Doncaster without as many as three of its top-line bowlers from last season.

Lawford has been linked with Yarraville Club and his departure leaves the Lions without one of the competition’s best players and a genuine game-changer.

But he will play in the T20 Super Slam.

Since arriving at the start of the 2015-16 season, Lawford has taken 193 wickets and hit 1339 runs to help take Fitzroy Doncaster to two premierships and a grand final appearance.

He was crowned the 2017-18 Ryder medallist as the competition’s best player.

Chris Moore, described by Lions coach Mick O’Sullivan as a “sleazy left-arm bowler’’, has joined Canterbury.

Coach Michael O’Sullian said Lawford’s body had struggled to meet the demands of the competition in recent seasons.

“(It was) a similar discussion last year just where he’s at, his body is taking a bit of a pounding and he bowls lots of overs,” O’Sullivan said.

“The four years he’s given us have been exceptional, superb — I don’t think anyone in this day and age of Premier Cricket could have played as well. No one has in my era.

“Where he’s at with his body and life, he hated driving across (from the western suburbs) … that’s been frustrating for two years.”

O’Sullivan said the club attempted to retain Lawford.

“He’s gone above and beyond this year with his body,” he said.

“His knee has been troubling him for a year-and-a-half … what he said to me in the finish, ‘Mick, I don’t want to lose my enjoyment for the game by maybe stretching it out a bit to

play at this level’.

“There is nothing I can say that isn’t full of admiration for him and his family.”

Fitzroy Doncaster also remains in talks with Perrin.

Moore joined Fitzroy Doncaster in 2012-13 and returned 144 wickets in 98 matches.

“He’s the most underrated player I’ve ever had the pleasure of coaching,” O’Sullivan said.

“Everyone thought they could get him … he’s so skilled and a sleazy left-arm bowler, sneaks it around corners and looks like you can hit him but you can’t.”