Friday, January 30th, 2015

Clarke, Cox And Shantry Aiming To Impress On Final Day Of Matches Down Under

Clarke, Cox And Shantry Aiming To Impress On Final Day Of Matches Down Under

Three Worcestershire players will be looking to impress with the bat and help their respective sides force victory on the second and final day of matches in Australia this weekend.

Wicket-keeper Ben Cox and paceman Jack Shantry (Greenvale Kangaroos) and wicket-keeper Joe Clarke (South Perth) may have key roles to play.

Greenvale will resume on 75-2 in pursuit of visiting Footscray Edgewater's first innings total of 188 in the Victorian Premier Cricket Bartercard Men's Premier Firsts clash with Cox and Shantry still to bat.

Clarke will resume on 26 not out with South Perth on 104-1 in reply to visiting University's 153 all out in a Western Australian Cricket Association first grade match.

England Under-19 wicket-keeper Clarke has enjoyed a successful winter and hit five half centuries and would like to reach three figures for his club before returning to New Road.

He said: "I spoke to Bumpy (Worcestershire Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes) earlier this week and we agreed that a hundred would tip off what has been a good winter!

"I'm 26 not out going into this weekend, I'm hoping to go on and get a big one, but hopefully in the next two games before I come back I can get one. "

*We will be featuring an interview with Joe on the Worcs CCC website on how his winter has gone and his hopes for 2015 after the weekend.

The other four Worcestershire players Down Under will be starting out on two day matches being staged on Saturday and February 7.

Joe Leach (North Canberra Gungahlin) and Ed Barnard (Queanbeyan District) will be in Australian Capital Territory first grade action against ANU and Ginninderra respectively in the RSM Bird Cameron-Douglas Cup.

Richard Oliver will captain Geelong City away to Lara CC in the Geelong Cricket Association Division One while Ross Whiteley's club, Prospect CC, entertain Southern District in the South Australian Cricket Association 'A' grade.