Premier Cricket preview 2020-21: Melbourne University a flag contender

Contender Melbourne University is preparing for the possibility of being without one of the competition’s best players in 2020-21.

Alex Gregory was named in the Premier Cricket Team of the Year in 2019-20. Picture: Hamish Blair

Melbourne University could be without one of the leading players in Premier Cricket this season but the club has assembled a strong squad in its pursuit of the ultimate prize.

Gun all-rounder Alex Gregory could be a major omission because of work commitments, with uncertainty over his availability in coming months.

Gregory punched out 635 runs at 52.9 last summer, highlighted by a century against St Kilda, and collected 23 wickets at 19.1 apiece.

The 25-year-old also earned selection in the competition’s Team of the Year for the first time.

The former Australia under-19 skipper hit 364 runs and to go with 28 wickets in his first season with the Students in 2018-19 after moving from South Australia in search of state cricket opportunities with Victoria.

“He’s a brilliant player and he’s probably on face value in the top handful of players in the competition,” Melbourne Uni coach Antony Keely said of Gregory.

“If he doesn’t play, we’ll certainly miss his contribution.

“We’re hopeful he’ll play a bit, we’re just not sure what it’s going to look like yet.”

But the Students have secured towering paceman Simon Mackin, who has moved to Victoria in a bid to re-ignite his state career.

The 28-year-old grabbed 101 wickets at 29.72 from 31 Sheffield Shield appearances for WA.

He has played one match for Victoria this season – against his former state – and will be looking to make a significant impact in Premier Cricket.

Mackin is set to be available for the opening two rounds of the campaign before heading home to WA for Christmas.

Simon Mackin is a big inclusion on and off the field for the Students. Picture: Calum Robertson

“He’s added enormous value already to our group. He’s a terrific guy and he’s very passionate about athlete well-being, so he’s had a terrific impact on our group so far, just from that perspective,” Keely said.

“He will add to what we think is a pretty good bowling unit for us as well.

“Both he and we are very optimistic he will spend a fair bit of time playing for Victoria and supporting their young bowling attack.

“But if not, we’ll enjoy having him. The University wicket is fast and bouncy and he’s a tall fast bowler, so he suits us to a tee.

“But I think his impact more broadly is going to be the most significant thing. As much as I’d love him to take 50 wickets too, there’s always a bigger picture at play and he’s contributing to that substantially at the moment.”

Lachie Pedley has also arrived from ACT Premier Cricket club Australian National University.

The fast bowler grabbed 11 wickets from 11 games in 2019-20.

“He’s played a season of first grade cricket up in Canberra. He will certainly bolster our fast bowling stocks,” Keely said.

In another boost for Melbourne Uni, Steve Reid is set to be available to take the new ball for most of the summer.

The club had been preparing for life without the ever-consistent paceman because of work commitments.

But Keely said initial forecasts Reid, who has taken 30 wickets of more in the past three campaigns, would play “two-thirds” of the season at best could prove conservative.

“He’s probably been in the top couple of quicks in the comp for a few years now … and his one-day cricket is pretty extraordinary,” Keely said.

Despite the potential absence of Gregory, the Students still boast a formidable batting line-up, with Andrej Yaksender and vice-captain Fergus McKenna both topping 600 runs last season.

Captain James McNeil, who Keely declared was a “brilliant” one-day player, will be a key performer after he was limited to nine games.

Fergus McKenna is one of Melbourne University’s star batsmen. Picture: Hamish Blair

Jarrod Martignago (311 runs at 34.6) and Andrew Young (268 at 33.5) will also be important.

Keely said Yaksender, who is coming off a standout season in which he hammered 624 runs at 52, was immensely talented.

“He’s been playing in some of the intraclub Victorian games recently,” he said.

“I think he’s averaging close to 50 in his first-grade career and he’s just a run machine.

“He particularly enjoys one-day cricket, so we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do this year.”

The Students finished the home-and-away rounds on top of the ladder in 2019-20 and claimed the club championship.

But Melbourne was awarded the premiership after becoming the highest-ranked club following the opening week of finals before the last three weekends were scrapped amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Melbourne Uni will face Carlton away from home in Saturday’s opening-round in a blockbuster clash.

“Our one-day record has been really, really strong for a few years now, so we’re really excited about playing one-day cricket,” Keely said.

“We’ll miss two-day cricket dearly and enjoyed the Super Slam (Twenty20 competition) stuff, but I wouldn’t say we’re disappointed.”