VTCA 2020-21: Seddon signs Barwon Heads bowler Michael Fallon
VTCA Division 1 club Seddon has secured a star paceman who took 8-60 in a Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association fixture last summer.
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One of the leading bowlers in the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association will take the new ball for Seddon this season.
Michael Fallon has linked up with the Victorian Turf Cricket Association outfit after collecting 30 wickets at 13.53 apiece for Barwon Heads in 2019-20.
Fallon finished the A1 Grade campaign as the equal-third highest wicket-taker in the competition, with his standout performance coming against Ocean Grove last November as he sent down a gut-busting 33.5 overs unchanged for an extraordinary return of 8-60.
He also helped himself to 6-38 against Queenscliff and 5-56 against Collendina.
Barwon Heads coach Jonathan Gill rated Fallon among the top bowlers in the BPCA and he is set to have a major impact in Division 1, the VTCA’s second-best grade.
Seddon president Leigh Davies said Fallon lives in Footscray and was looking for a local club.
He said the star recruit had impressed captain-coach Liam Braithwaite at training as the Dockers prepare for their season opener against Altona Roosters on Saturday.
“We think he’ll be a really good get,” Davies said.
“Our captain-coach has said to us a number of times that he’s pretty good. He hits the spot, hits the bat hard.
“He’s pretty impressed with him. You need someone to hit the spot, particularly in one-day cricket.
“He bowls some good off-cutters. He did OK in the practice match against Yarraville Club last week. He didn’t take any wickets, but he did quite well.”
Fallon was limited to just nine games in 2018-19 as he took 11 wickets but he collected 26 wickets at 14.04 in 2017-18.
Seddon has also secured South African all-rounder Kyle Scheepers to bolster its batting.
Scheepers made 425 runs at 35.4 for Carlton’s Second XI last season, plundering 100 against Melbourne University.
“We’ve been trying to get him for a couple of years, so we’re very happy that we’ve got him,” Davies said.
Sri Lankan pair Damith Priyadarshana (425 runs and 13 wickets last season) and Duleeka Thisakuttige (323 runs and 11 wickets) have also re-signed for two seasons.
Paceman Kevin McLean, who took 21 wickets at 17.6 in 2019-20, is the only departure of note, with the coronavirus pandemic forcing him to stay in the West Indies.
The Dockers will contest an expanded 12-team Division 1 competition this summer after qualifying for finals last season.
“We think we’ll be quite competitive this year,” Davies said.
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