And for Mooroopna, its mission to climb higher up the Haisman Shield standings will continue under the stewardship of an Englishman – but it won’t be Henry Barrow.
Countryman Cyrus Shafi will take the lead in his second season at Mooroopna, following a debut Haisman season where he scored 328 runs and 17 wickets.
The 24-year-old will now play as important a role off the field as on it as the club aims to build beyond last season’s 10th-place finish, but he won’t be the only member of the family working to that end.
Younger brother and Gloucestershire Academy gloveman Zaman Shafi will join the club for the Australian summer, labelled a dynamic left-hand batter and a talented top-order prospect.
At Numurkah, the club has named its successor to Gino Saracino, with reigning Lightfoot Medallist and three-time club best-and-fairest Raguvaran Aravinthan stepping up to the plate.
Aravinthan has been one of the league’s form overseas imports and has also attracted a family member to the club, with left-arm Banstead paceman Eash Aravinthan set to bolster the Blues bowling stocks.
Meanwhile, Shepparton Youth Club United has opted for a two-pronged approach in its leadership stocks with swashbuckling batter Tyler Green joining Sam Nash as co-coach for the upcoming season.
They will also lean on the experience of ex-Premier cricketer and five-time Haisman Shield winner Bryan Doyle, who will call Princess Park home as a specialist A-grade coach.
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