Shrewsbury have swooped for highly rated Australian paceman Paul Donaldson as their new overseas player – the final piece in the jigsaw ahead of the start of a new Birmingham Cricket League premier division season.
Donaldson, 23, will arrive in the county town next week from Perth, fresh from an impressive season playing first grade cricket for Claremont Nedlands. He replaces Western Australian state star Wes Robinson – who didn’t have quite the impact with the bat which was expected at London Road last season – as Shrewsbury’s overseas player.
“Paul has played pretty much the whole season for Claremont and first grade cricket in Perth is of a very high standard,” said Shrewsbury skipper Ed Foster. “He’s a fast bowling allrounder and he’s one of the main bowlers for his club which, for a young lad, is pretty impressive.
“He’s averaged 26 with the ball in first grade cricket this season and he will also be able to contribute useful runs for us as he can strike the ball a long way. He’ll probably bat at seven or eight.”
Shrewsbury have been working on the signing for some time but were keen to keep it under wraps until Donaldson received a visa.
“It will be his first time in England and he’s going to be a gap year student doing some work at Packwood Haugh School,” said Foster.
“We played together at Claremont when I was over there three years ago and he’s also played alongside quite a few of our other players.
“We’re looking for him to be a real strike threat and he’s a big lad at six foot three so hopefully his presence will get him quite a few wickets.”
Foster added the start of the new season could not come quickly enough with Shrewsbury keen to build on last season’s impressive top five finish.
They open with a Graham Williamson Trophy trip to Kenilworth on April 17.
“We had nets on Sunday night and everyone’s keen to get started,” said Foster, who went to New Road to catch up with Shrewsbury’s Worcestershire duo Jack Shantry and Joe Leach last weekend.
“Joe’s enjoying it at Worcester where he’s on a summer contract,” he added. “Jack’s also very keen to get going both for Shrewsbury and Worcestershire.”
Meanwhile, young Shrewsbury paceman Mike Barnard continues to make a positive impact at Oxford University and was scheduled to make his first class debut against Northants last weekend until injury cruelly intervened.
“Mike got a quad strain just 10 minutes before the start of the game and had to pull out,” revealed Foster. “Hopefully he will be able to play in their next game against Hampshire.
“He’s made a good impression because it’s difficult to go straight into the team as a fresher.”
By Stuart Dunn