January part 1 - Get to the Idiot Box

Hello all, and welcome to the first of what will hopefully be many monthly columns about the comings and goings of Westies and our current and former players. Strap yourselves in, it has been a big start to 2011.

January has been somewhat of a whirlwind for two of our former stars.

Following on from his travels to South Africa for the most recent Champions League, Victorian Rookie contract holder,  current Cricket Academy scholarship holder and former Westies keeper/batsman Ryan Carters has forced his way into the Bushrangers T20 starting side.

Excellent form in the Futures League and the Futures League T20 tournament has culminated in Ryan’s selection for the Vic’s senior side. Ryan has this season made 424 runs in the Futures League at an average of over 60. His most recent effort saw him fall just short of a maiden double hundred, 197 against NSW, a match in which he and opening partner Tom Stray established an opening partnership of 347. Carts also leads the dismissals table for the competition. 19 catches and 2 stumpings in 4 matches has him clearly at the top of this list.

Ryan was also named player of the carnival at the Futures League T20 comp. After captaining Victoria in this series, Ryan made 85 not out in the final off 50 balls in a dominant performance by the Vics.

In early December, Ryan rewarded for his fine form with a tour match against the Poms. Carts made 16 and 68 in the match, against a quality attack of Bresnan, Shahzad, Tremlett and Panesar. He was interviewed by Victorian radio in the days after the match, and gave a polished on air display, the first of what is likely to be many media commitments for RGL Carters.

Carts has played 3 matches for the Vics in their Big Bash campaign, first batting down the order, and opening the batting in his last two games. Ryan will be looking to finish the T20 season strongly, and force his way into the Shield side before the season is out.

The talk of Australian cricket at the moment however, is the rise and rise of last years West’s First Grade skipper, Nathan Lyon. Nathan has exploded onto the domestic scene with some super impressive performances for the South Australian Redbacks. He currently leads the competition for wickets taken, and has been both dangerous and economical in his first 6 matches. There has been a substantial amount of support from former players, with Kerry O’Keefe and Allan Border both expressing their views that Nathan could be a long term first class and Australian player, KOK calling for him to tour Bangladesh in August with the Australian Test Team.

The press has been all over Nathan since his selection to the Redbacks side, and his contributions have helped SA to now be sitting on top of the Big Bash ladder, and secure for a home final and possibly a trip to the next instalment of the Airtel Champions League. He has been most impressive with his ability to maintain flight, drop and turn, very courageous as a spinner in the shortest game format. Redbacks coach Darren Berry has shown plenty of faith in our mate, and has spoken in detail on Fox Sports and print media about Nathans impressive debut season. Among the victims for Nathan this season are test players Chris Gayle and Marcus North.

From ESPN cricinfo to cricket.com.au to domestic print media, Nathan is getting some serious column space.

Following his performance against Tasmania last week, Cricinfo wrote the following:

‘The spin bowlers of South Australia once again strangled their opponents, with find-of-the-summer Nathan Lyon netting 3 for 14 from four high quality overs, to take Man-of-the match honours. Originally from the ACT, Lyon was plucked from the ground-staff at the Adelaide Oval to play in a Redbacks trial game. The off spinner is now the leading wicket-taker in this year's Big Bash.’

And from Brett Geeves’ blog , the following:

‘But the serious spin is coming from the Canberrian with the last name Lyon.

Like many Canberrians before him, he is a fair skinned young man.

Think Haddin, David Dawson whose nickname is in fact “Milky” and former Aus U/19 wild man Andrew James who has the honour of being the only person to run two metres past the popping crease and bowl a hand to head delivery at Michael Clarke during a U15 try-out game.

Something to hang your hat on I suppose.

Back to this fellow they call Lyon.

He has now played three less first class games than Michael Beer.

In fact he is sitting on the same amount of first class appearances as Michael Beer when he was selected for Australia.

After listening to the Fox Sports team commentate the game Monday night, they have him not only ahead of Michael Beer but have him pegged as Australia’s Next Top Model, no, big spinning sensation.

This line is why - five games, nine wickets for 132 runs at 14.66 per wicket.

An impressive start in the hardest cricket format.’

Impressive wraps (in spite of ‘Canberrians’ not actually being a word Mr Geeves), however more impressive are the articles on Adelaide Now and the Daily Advertiser after his first game. Derek even got a call to throw his support behind Nathan, check the articles out at:

Watching Ryan V Nathan last week was like a contest within a contest for Westies members, all keen to see Carts tap Nath for a few, and/or Nath to rip a couple through Carts, old man McGann even ventured south for the day, and caught up with both the boys before the match commenced. It did not quite turn out like we had hoped, but I am sure we will see them in battle many times in the years to come.

Ganny