Cricket Southern Bayside: Mentone signs English first-class player

The Tigers’ star recruit is the perfect replacement for an out-going premiership player as they move up to CSB Championship division in 2022-23.

Englishman Ryan Davies has signed with Mentone. Picture: Facebook

Bring it on.

Fresh off a premiership, Mentone intends to serve it up to the best in CSB Championship division next season and the Tigers will have the talent to do so.

They’ve signed English first-class wicketkeeper-batsman Ryan Davies, bolstering an already strong list that won the Division 1 flag last season.

Davies played 23 first-class games with Kent, Somerset and Durham, scoring 442 runs, at 14.73, with a career-best 86 for Somerset, batting at No. 9, against Lancashire.

He was also named in England’s squad for the 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

“I can’t wait to join the club and try and help win another flag,” Davies said in a social media post.

Mentone players show off their CSB Division 1 2021-22 premiership flag.

Mentone skipper Dane Heverin said Davies’ signing was perfect timing for the Tigers.

“He’s a wicketkeeper batter, and our wicketkeeper from the last few years Blake Thompson is going overseas for most of the season so we needed someone to step in there so getting Ryan has been a fantastic result for us,’’ Heverin said.

Heverin has spoken to Davies and says the 25-year-old is “super keen’’ to play cricket in Melbourne.

“He can’t wait to get out here,’’ he said.

“He’s coming out with his dad at the start because they want to be here while the AFL finals are on to experience that.

“I’ve seen some vision of him play and he looks like a really tidy keeper. Obviously you have to be to play at that level. And he’s quite a good batsman as well.

“In particular he has a really good record at County Second XI level so we know we are getting a really quality player.’’

Mentone has retained all other members of its premiership side of last season, including English opener Matthew Walker, who blitzed 83 off 33 balls in the grand final win over Parkdale United.

Walker smashed 8 fours and 7 sixes in that eye-popping knock that helped Mentone break an 18-year flag drought.

Heverin said Mentone’s key players Simon Cormie, Comrey Edgeworth, Darcy Brown and Ed McGarry would embrace the challenge of stepping up to Championship division.