St Bernard’s snare Carlton Premier Cricket premiership spearhead Aaron Smillie for 2019-20 season

Victorian sub-district cricket batsman look out, one of Premier Cricket’s most feared pacemen is heading back to local cricket after St Bernard’s snare Carlton premiership winner Aaron Smillie.

Aaron Smillie in action for Carlton. Picture: Hamish Blair

Premiership winning Carlton spearhead Aaron Smillie is heading back to local cricket.

The paceman made the “tough” decision to part ways with the Blues and will step out for Subbies cricket club St Bernard’s in 2019-20.

Smillie collected 37 wickets this season — fifth most — and had the best average (17.0), strike rate (36.2) and economy rate (2.8) of the top-10 wicket-takers.

However, the 29-year-old said his time in Premier was up when he was unable to break into the Victorian squad or second XI.

“My goal was to play higher — Vic seconds — or to see how high I could go,” he said.

St Bernard's welcomes Carlton 1st XI premiership player Aaron Smillie to the club for season 2019/20. We also have a host of other additions. Please visit https://t.co/9fe0ak2r9A to see all information. @SubbiesCricket pic.twitter.com/oHhSykWW6F

— St. Bernards OCCC (@sboccc) May 17, 2019

“My season at Carlton I had a pretty good season but as good as it was it probably meant I wasn’t going to play higher.

“The season I had, I’m probably not going to have as good a season as that to be honest.

“It clarified the decision to go back to local cricket and to go back and play with a mate, still at a good standard.”

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The Westmeadows junior claimed 65 First XI wickets in his two seasons with Carlton after previous stints with Greenvale Kangaroos and Footscray.

St Bernard’s has also added Geoff Kiker, James Lowrie and Matthew Jones from Balwyn.

Smillie is a huge addition for St Bernard’s as it looks to improve on this season’s fifth place, bowing out in the first week of finals against Brunswick.

Aaron Smillie in action for Carlton. Picture: Hamish Blair

However, he’s not setting any goals as he steps down a level.

“St Bernards, the real attraction there was the ground, the facilities, having a base,” he said.

“I try not to set myself any big goals figures wise.

“Their a bit of a dangerous trap to be honest because you feel like you’re trying too hard to take wickets.

“My goal is to work in partnership and bowl as many maidens as I can.”

The Snowdogs leading wicket-taker in 2018-19 was Steven Brne with 21 scalps in just seven games.