Former Test spinner Michael Beer returns to Malvern
Almost two decades after leaving as a promising young slowie, a former Australian Test spinner is returning to his old Melbourne Sub-District club, eager to give something back.
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Michael Beer left Malvern as a talented young left-arm spinner with a wicked arm-ball and ambitions to play big cricket.
He returns almost two decades later as a former Test player with a desire to put something back into the historic club.
The Roosters this morning confirmed Beer would be returning to play in the 2020-21 Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association season. He’s committed to the Roosters for three years.
The 36-year-old retired from Victorian Premier Cricket midway through last season, finishing at St Kilda after 164 matches that brought him 324 matches at an average of 18.11.
He had joined the Saints from Malvern in 2003-04.
Despite some excellent performances and a golden summer in which he stacked up 62 wickets in 2009-10, Beer was unable to catch the attention of state selectors and had to venture interstate for a chance to play first-class cricket.
WA promoted him to Shield ranks, and before long he was called up to the Test team.
His debut came against England at the SCG in January, 2011. He also played against the West Indies at Port of Spain in April, 2012.
“It was a great honour, going on a few tours with Australia and being around that group of players,’’ Beer told Leader after his retirement at St Kilda.
“At that time they were sorting things out from an Australian point of view but it was amazing to be involved. Really, it was just as much an honour to play first-class cricket for WA. That was a lot of fun. Being a professional cricketer, that was something I was striving for when I was at St Kilda. They gave me that opportunity.’’
After his Test matches Beer became a leading short-format bowler, putting the squeeze on Big Bash batsmen, first for Perth Scorchers, then the Melbourne Stars, for whom he played until last season.
People attached to Malvern have always spoken with great pride about Beer, whose father, Tony, played more than 400 games for the club.
Michael was 17 when he made his First XI entrance for the Roosters under the captaincy of David Jakobi in January, 2002. He snared 2-38 off 26 overs, with 10 maidens.
Two matches later he opened the bowling and sent down 30 overs on the reel for a return of 4-51.
Beer won a major award the following season, then headed for St Kilda.
“He’ll be a very good player,’’ club stalwart David Priddle told Leader at the time.
“He bowls an excellent line and he’s got a very good arm-ball. He would get 70 per cent of his wickets bowled or LBW. Batsmen can’t pick it … he has excellent disguise.
“His batting needs a bit of work but he’s got safe hands in the slips cordon.’’
Priddle, who recently stood down as president, said Malvern was delighted to be regaining Beer, who had started his senior cricket with the Roosters at the age of 13 in the lower grades.
“He left to pursue his dreams, firstly at St Kilda, and then all the way to Test level,’’ he said.
“The club, its players, members and supporters are all so pleased Mick has expressed a desire to, as he puts it, give something back into his cricketing roots.
“We couldn’t be happier to have him back on board, not only as obviously a high-quality player, but also as a mentor with all his knowledge and experience to all our senior group and our flourishing junior section.
“There’s no denying his return to Malvern is tremendously exciting for all our members. Many of them will remember Mick as a mad-keen young lad who followed his father to Malvern pretty much as early as he could walk. It’s a great story, not only for Malvern, but the Sub-District competition.’’
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