Eastern Cricket Association: Romanian cricket sensation Pavel Florin is on his way to Surrey Hills

He went viral online with an awkward bowling action that attracted attention from cricket legends including Shane Warne. Now, a Romanian cricketer is set to line up for a Surrey Hills club later this year. This is how the president scored the coup.

Internet sensation Pavel Florin is set to roll his arm over down under after Surrey Hills Cricket Club announced the Romanian would be joining the club for a number of matches in November.

The 40-year-old full-time bodyguard and part-time slow bowler melted the internet in July when footage was posted of him playing in a European Cricket League game for his club, Cluj, against French side Dreux.​

While his awkward bowling action and invitingly-flighted lobs may have caused purists to flinch, the cricket world took him to their hearts when he spoke passionately about his love for cricket in a country more renowned for gymnastics, soccer and one very famous resident of Transylvania.​

“Maybe someone will say my bowling is not beautiful or not effective,” he said when interviewed at the time. “But I don’t care because I love cricket. Is not beautiful I know, everybody says, but I am a slow bowler is there a problem with this? I think no.”​

The cricket novice, and president of Cluj Cricket Club, said being involved in such a tournament was all part of the learning curve.​

“It’s good experience for us and good experience for our country and all the lovers of cricket in my city,” he said.​

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His action had the purists flinching but Pavel Florin’s passion for cricket has won admiration throughout the cricket world.

His passion struck a chord with cricket lovers around the world, including Surrey Hills president Malcolm Campbell.​

“I just picked up the phone,” he said. “I just loved that attitude and it just matched our attitude and his words just resonated with me.”​

Campbell said Surrey Hills invited Florin to be their guest and he will play a number of games in the lower grades for the club and, in conjunction with Cricket Australia, will help promote the cause of cricket in his homeland.

Agree 100% ! Cricket is a beautiful game. Well done and congrats to everyone who made this happen. I would love to check this tournament out next year & help out, if you need a helping hand then hit me up ! Congrats again 👍 https://t.co/vgjMwJ5S0A

— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) July 30, 2019

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“He’s got a lot of offers because he’s that famous now and his calendar is pretty full,” Campbell said. “We just got in at the right time.”​

Campbell said Florin would play in one of the club’s sides that was put together for juniors to step up into senior cricket and play with their fathers as well as for players who enjoy the social side of the sport.​

“I’m in that team because I’m not very good,” Campbell laughed. “But the guys are just queuing up to play with him. It’s going to be a very hard selection night.”​

Florin will play matches on the weekend of November 16/17 and 23/24, and Campbell said he was hopeful the Romanian would be a guest of Cricket Australia at the Gabba Test.​

“On Sunday the 17th of November we’ll have an exhibition match or a celebration and he’ll speak at a function,” Campbell said. “We’ll invite all of the Romanian community.​

“It’s probably not a community that’s engaged in cricket so his aim, and Cricket Australia’s plan, is to grow the game in communities like that.

Love this , a great game to be enjoyed . Keep going Pavel and love the way you love the game

— Darren Lehmann (@darren_lehmann) July 30, 2019

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“We’ll try and raise some money for cricket in Romania and maybe start a sister relationship with the club and maybe, one day, we can go over there and play.”​

Cruj Cricket Club is situated in the heart of Transylvania with its home ground at Moara Vlasiei. The club has the only turf ground in Romania.​