Perth Scorchers coach Justin Langer has heaped praise on leading spinner Michael Beer as the fan-favourite prepares to take up the reins of stand-in skipper for Game 1 against the NT Strike in Darwin.
Perth Scorchers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Scorchers are currently in Darwin on a preparation camp ahead of their Champions League T20 campaign in India later this month and will play three games against the Strike, starting tomorrow, at Marrara Cricket Ground.
Captain Simon Katich is currently in the UK playing for county side Lancashire, while Alcohol. Think Again Western Warriors skipper Adam Voges is with the ODI team.
The pair will meet up with the squad in India, leaving the Scorchers with an opportunity to anoint Beer, one of the team’s fan-favourites and behind-the-scenes leaders, as stand-in captain.
Beer was the Scorchers most economical bowler in the most recent domestic Twenty20 season at 5.91, with 10 wickets at an average of 21.30.
“He should be really proud of that, he’s been fantastic this pre-season,” Langer said.
“He’s a leader in his own right, really popular among the group, does his job and has a very good cricket brain.
“It’ll be a thrill for him to be captain of the Scorchers.”
The Scorchers descended on Darwin with a goal of acclimatising in similar conditions to what is expected in India and Northern Territory Cricket worked in collaboration with WACA cricket operations to prepare pitches that will provide an ideal learning curve ahead of the sub-continent mission.
Langer said the trip also provided a crucial opportunity to some of the team’s younger players to put their hands up ahead of the CLT20 tournament.
“It’s a great opportunity for som1e of our young guys,” Langer said.
“Some of our senior guys in Adam Voges, Shaun Marsh, Simon Katich, they’re in the UK at the moment and will join us in India, so it’s a great chance for some of our younger guys to put their name up and be ready for the first XI.
“It’s just about getting back into cricket mode.
“When you’ve been in the cold, running and training like Hawaiian marathon runners rather than cricketers, it’s just nice to be back in the sun again.
“We had a couple of practise games at the WACA last week, which were valuable, but it’s always nice to be in Darwin.
“There might be a few raised eyebrows from the boys when they get over there (to the pitch), but that’s exactly what we’re going to get in India once we get over there, so I want them to really embrace it.
“Once again, Northern Territory have been brilliant in providing these facilities for us.”
James Buttler
As the editor of World Cricket Badger he is intent on building the website to give quality coverage of the domestic game around the world.
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