Premier Cricket: Fitzroy-Doncaster captain Ejaaz Alavi to play 200th match

The Fitzroy-Doncaster brains trust had Ejaaz Alavi picked for a special talent at just 15. Thirteen years on and the spinner reflects on his stay in the top-flight ahead of his 200th Premier match ...

COACHES and teammates knew they were onto something special.

A practice match on Schramms Reserve’s bottom oval some 13 years ago would mark the dawn of one of Fitzroy-Doncaster’s most celebrated careers.

Fresh out of Subbies club Kew, then 15-year-old spinner Ejaaz Alavi kitted up for his first appearance as a Lion, dazzling with the ball.

Thirteen years on and the Fitzroy-Doncaster captain will feature in his 200th match this weekend – aged just 28 – becoming only the 14th player to reach the milestone in the club’s amalgamated history stretching 160 years.

The two-time premiership star is fast closing in on 300 career wickets after a haul of 24 last season and currently sits on 284 – equal 11th in club history.

Current Fitzroy-Doncaster coach and former teammate Matt Bremner remembers Alavi’s first impression in the 2010-11 scratch-match with Richmond – schooling a then Victorian-listed all-rounder, some eight years his senior.

“Will Sheridan, who was state-contracted at the time (was batting), and (Alavi) was bowling these loopy, left-arm offies and made Will look a bit silly on the day – and that’s when we knew we had a serious player on our hands,” Bremner recalls.

Alavi delivers one of his “loopy, left-arm offies” in his first appearance as a Lion. Picture: Supplied

The 200-game feat isn’t lost on Alavi, who debuted in Kew’s First XI at age 12 after junior cricket with Macleod and Banyule.

Then Fitzroy-Doncaster captain-coach and former Victorian Bushranger Lloyd Mash injected Alavi into the Lions’ firsts as a teen in 2011-12, quickly establishing himself at the level on the way to top-flight premierships in 2015-16 and 2016-17 and Team of the Year honours in ’17-18.

It’s no surprise the 28-year-old cites Mash, who tipped in almost 7400 runs for the Lions in 236 matches, as one of his most profound mentors among a galaxy of stars across 13 years.

“To play 200 games is quite an honour and a privilege,” Alavi says.

“To be able to play in such a strong club for a long period of time, it’s just been a really great opportunity to learn from the likes of Lloyd Mash and Peter Dickson, and to play alongside some great mates in ‘Brem’ (Matt Bremner), Jacques Augustin, Nat Vardy and now with Liam Banthorpe and Jack Rudd.

“To play alongside so many great players – Trent Lawford, Andrew Perrin … the names just keep going on and on, but to play in premiership sides with the likes of those guys across a number of years, it just keeps the fire going to want to do it more with the current group.”

Alavi is closing in on 300 career wickets.

Premierships and team success aside, the captaincy is a point of pride for Alavi – who, at just 23, succeeded the great Peter Dickson in the role after serving as vice-captain.

Stepping into the shoes of Dickson, one of few to have scored 10,000 runs at Premier level – including 8848 for the Lions across 246 matches – didn’t faze Alavi.

“It’s a privilege to captain any Premier club and to do it from a young age is something I’ll reflect on at the end of my career,” Alavi says, who stood in for Dickson at age 20 to become the club’s youngest First XI captain in January, 2016.

“I guess that (vice-captaincy) was a really good starting point – I was able to work closely with Peter and build that trust and relationship.

“He was one of the great leaders you could ever play under, so I was able to learn a lot from him.

“In his last couple of years, he wanted to step away from the captaincy and had full trust in me to take over.

“I’m still enjoying it, leading a younger group.”

Master and apprentice: Peter Dickson and Ejaaz Alavi in 2014. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

Former Fitzroy-Doncaster mentor Mick O’Sullivan – who coached Alavi in two flag campaigns and exited the role in March after nine years – says the milestone man had all the hallmarks of a captain.

“He’s been a terrific leader and he’d led a long time before he was captain and that’s why it was such a seamless transition,” O’Sullivan recalls of Alavi.

“He’s an actions man … knows it’s all about actions and how you can be a role model – he’s not just a leader for the First XI – he leads the club and cares and listens.

“I don’t know if ‘authentic’ gets used too much these days, but he’s very authentic with strong values and morals and leads by example.”

Fitzroy-Doncaster captain Ejaaz Alavi (right) and Mick O'Sullivan. Picture: Hamish Blair

O’Sullivan coached North Melbourne at the start of Alavi’s career and recalls his steely persona.

“He’s always been a terrific competitor, even back then, feisty in the right way – he didn’t want to get beaten.”

Bremner says it’s just as special coaching the unassuming Alavi as it was taking the field together.

“It still is, watching the little master go about his craft … you can just see him working over a batsman,” Bremner says.

“He’s different to a lot of Victorian players in the sense that he’s not arrogant, he’s not in people’s faces, he just does his work quietly and works over batters, ties them down and eventually gets them out.

“There’s no ego, it’s about club-first and the team performing and whatever he can contribute. He’s a wonderful person.

“He’s respected by the competition, which is bloody hard to do, because usually you ruffle up a few feathers, but he’s admired by everyone.”

Bremner and a 15-year-old Alavi. Picture: Supplied

A fixture in the First XI since a teenager, consistency has been the cornerstone of Alavi’s Premier Cricket stay.

Never dropped nor hampered by injury, Alavi says there are few, if any, regrets to dwell on.

“I guess I’ve just been very lucky with injuries, but there’s still plenty of cricket ahead of me,” he says.

“Bowling spin probably helps (durability) – you’ve only got to come in off a couple of steps which helps that as well.”

But the aspiration for higher honours continues to burn.

“Obviously I would’ve loved the opportunity to play at a higher level, and I still have the dream to do so, but there’s still time being only 28,” Alavi says, a representative across all Victorian underage groups before an appearance in the state’s Second XI in 2020.

“My strength over the years has been able to perform consistently and the only thing you can really keep doing is keep putting performances on the board … I’ll keep pushing and that’s all I can really do to live out the dream of playing for Victoria or Australia, you never know.

“I’ll just keep working hard and hoping opportunity comes at some stage – if it doesn’t, it doesn’t, I’m OK with that as well, I’ve loved every opportunity I’ve had.”

The elusive tap on the shoulder has Bremner scratching his head.

“He’s a professional cricketer playing Premier Cricket, and it’s a shame he’s never got a look-in at higher honours, especially short-form cricket – we all know he’d do a really good job if selected,” he says.

“We know he’s still chasing that dream, and I’m sure it’ll happen if he keeps going the way he’s going.”

O’Sullivan – a former Victorian chairman of selectors and one of just a handful of Vics across international, domestic and Premier cricket to have poured in more than 500 games as a player and coach – agrees.

“He’s been really unlucky … he’s been good enough to play some form of first-class cricket.”

Also handy as a right-hand bat, Alavi has more than 1700 career runs. Picture: George Sal

True to form, the betterment of the club transcends personal achievement.

Alavi highlights his exposure to top-grade cricket from a young age as the catalyst in his successful transition to Premier-grade as a 15-year-old, now keen to develop the Lions’ next batch of stars.

“There’s nothing more valuable than playing senior cricket against experienced players – that’s what I’d like to keep imparting now and giving back to as many young guys as I can, as that’s what developed me from a young age.”

Alavi (bottom, right) celebrates the 2015-16 First XI flag. Picture: Hamish Blair

Family sits atop Alavi’s greatest influences – father Almaaz, mother Emrana, sister Shabana, and partner Zaineb – while former coach O’Sullivan’s contribution cannot be denied.

“My family have been so supportive all the way through – my old man, mum, sister and partner come to all the games and support me 100 per cent so I’m really appreciative of everything they’ve done for me,” Alavi says.

“Mick O’Sullivan’s been another unbelievable person – nine years as coach … he’s someone who’s had a huge impact on my career.

“There’s been so many people – family, friends, coaches, teammates … there’s been a huge amount of people who’ve supported me to 200 games.”

Only Fitzroy-Doncaster’s greatest run-scorer, Gary Watts, has cracked the 300-game mark at the club, turning out on 322 occasions – but Bremner is certain the current captain can join the legendary batsman.

“Mate, he’s on track for 300 – I can guarantee that,” he quips.

“To be only 28 years of age, he’s certainly on track for 300-plus – he loves his cricket and loves the club, so I can’t see him stopping any time soon.”