Fast bowler Tiron Fernando has been lured away from Pine Lodge by Old Students.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Cricket Shepparton’s equivalent to the “Wild Thing” is on the move.
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Tiron “Tino” Fernando, the fast-bowling weapon who lit up Pine Lodge’s attack with 25 wickets in his debut Haisman Shield season, has locked in a new club for the 2025-26 campaign.
Old Students have secured the services of the slingshot-style right arm quick, with returning coach Vince Gagliardi delighted to secure more steel for his bowling brigade in the off-season.
“We’ve signed Tino from Pine Lodge; he’ll be a real boost for us in our bowling ranks,” Gagliardi said.
“We just felt like we needed another wicket-taker and just add a bit more depth to that area, so he’ll be a big get for us.
“Even our batting towards the bottom end, he’ll boost that, so that’s a massive plus for us, we think.”
The Sri Lankan had stumps skittling during Pine Lodge’s return to the Haisman Shield in 2024-25, taking 25 poles at 17.6, while also doubling as a handy lower-order devastator, chalking up 118 runs.
A cricket tragic, Fernando’s off-field presence as a mentor to Old Students’ youth stocks will be crucial, too.
Gagliardi has indicated Students aren’t likely to venture down the overseas import path, with the club seeking to “try fill our weaknesses through local recruits” instead.
Students had a sour run with imports last season, locking in two English signings who never made it Down Under.
There will also be a shift in the leadership core at Kialla Park Reserve, with Callan McCabe stepping down from captaincy due to work and family commitments.
Another club to welcome a changing of the guard is Karramomus.
Nathan Jones has taken over the A-grade captaincy at Karramomus from Mitch McGrath.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Long-serving Bloods skipper Mitch McGrath has moved aside to make way for Nathan Jones to take the A-grade captaincy, with the middle-order batter set to take on more responsibility after several years at the club.
Tatura has also been on the front foot and secured its brainstrust for the upcoming summer.
Daniel Coombs will suit up for his fifth season as coach since returning to Howley Oval in 2021, while gun all-rounder Jayden Armstrong retains his captain’s role.
Tatura has also welcomed back former junior Jess Petherick to its ranks, adding another dimension to the Bulldogs’ bowling stocks.
It’s a savvy move by Tatura, which shot from ninth in 2023-24 to a drought-breaking finals appearance last season.
Meanwhile, after missing finals in painstaking fashion two years running, Numurkah has hung on to one of the competition’s most explosive talents in recent years.
English all-rounder Raguvaran Aravinthan will return for his third season at the Blues and, after 680 runs, 36 wickets and consecutive club best-and-fairest awards, it’s clear to see why Numurkah wants “Rags” back in its Haisman Shield hunting party.
Additionally, Waaia and Euroa remain in search of new club coaches for the looming season.
Meanwhile, a former Haisman Shield star is further staking his claim for a Big Bash League contract.
Gun Tatura leggie Michael Archer has been selected in the Melbourne Renegades academy squad for next month’s Top End T20 Series.
Archer, 28, was in fine form during his last run with the Renegades academy, taking a hat-trick during April’s T10 invitational.
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