NSW quickie to try his luck in Victoria, joins Saints
St Kilda has added more firepower to its pace attack by nabbing a NSW quickie with Big Bash and Cricket Australia XI experience.
Inner South
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As St Kilda welcomes a fast bowler, Melbourne is resigned to farewelling one.
The Saints have added to their impressive stock of young quickies, recruiting former NSW-contracted Henry Thornton.
The 23-year-old right-armer is expected to train with the Victorian squad as he puts down roots in Melbourne.
His Sydney Grade Cricket association with Saints captain Adam Crosthwaite and batsman Nic Maddinson led him to St Kilda.
Thornton was a NSW under-age representative, opened the bowling with Jye Richradson for the Australian Under 19 team and was elevated to the NSW state squad ahead of the 2017-18 season.
He had played for the Cricket Australia XI in 2017, starting out against Pakistan, and made a Big Bash appearance for the Sydney Sixers in 2016-17.
“He’s young, which will fit in beautifully with our list, he’s quick and he’ll round out our attack nicely,’’ Saints coach Glenn Lalor said.
“Put him with Patrick Rowe, Jon Merlo, Todd Murphy, Josh Manning, Matt Hennig, Will Lovell and Damon Egan, and that’s awesome for us, that young talent.
“They don’t fall off trees, the quicks, and we’re lucky to have a few.’’
The Saints caught up with Thornton when he visited Melbourne in February.
Tall and rangy, he collected 20 wickets at 24.70 for Eastern Suburbs last season.
Thornton is also useful with the bat and athletic in the field, and Crosthwaite believes he’s capable of playing a lot of big cricket.
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Lalor said the Saints, who reached the last six last season before the coronavirus pandemic cut short the finals series, had retained all their players.
Sub-District clubs are keen on veteran left-arm paceman Simon O’Brien, who admirably answered the selectors’ call when injuries hit the club in the second half of last season.
“Simon’s going again, which is good,’’ Lalor said.
“He was fantastic for us last season, and that was fantastic for him.’’
Meanwhile Melbourne is set to lose left-arm paceman Jackson Coleman to Footscray.
Coleman holds a Melbourne Stars deal but there is speculation he will lose his Victorian contract.
He played eight matches for the Demons last season, taking 16 wickets at 19.4.
Coleman’s only Sheffield Shield match came against WA in the 2018-19 season.