By Jonty Ralphsmith
Former Australian batter and Big Bash League star Brad Hodge will turn out for Berwick Springs in the quarterfinals of the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) T20 competition.
All four knockout matches were rescheduled to Tuesday 16 January at 5.15pm after rain prevented play in the original date of 9 January.
Hodge and the Titans will play at Berwick Springs Recreation Reserve against Turf 2 side Heinz Southern Districts.
Hodge’s appearance promises to bring people through the gates, with the Titans heavily promoting the 49-year-old’s cameo since announcing it on their Facebook page on December 31.
The elegant right-hander represented Australia 46 times across the three formats between 2005 and 2014 and has a Test Match and One Day International century to his name.
Now a regular in the Channel 7 commentary box, the top-order bat also has an imposing record in the shortest format, finishing with 277 professional T20s to his name, with an average of 37 and strike rate of 131.
“We’re all really keen so we were really flat when they called it off on Tuesday,” Berwick Springs First XI skipper Braydon Hillman said.
“It’s going to be a big moment, a lot of the younger guys are keen to get around him.
“Even myself, I grew up watching him.
“I’m excited from a tactical perspective because he’s played so much white ball cricket, he’d be great to get some ideas off, whether it be field placements or bowling tactics or something like that.”
It’s a significant moment for a young club looking to make its mark on the DDCA.
“It’s announcing that we’re here to compete,” Hillman said.
“We’d love to win this T20 competition.
“No-one really knows about us so it gets our name out there and puts us on the map a bit and shows we’re not here to mess around.”
The Titans qualified for the quarterfinals by defeating Turf 1 side Beaconsfield and Parkmore, which was in Turf 1 last season.
As well as their application in the shortest format, the Titans are the only team to have beaten Coomoora in Turf 3 this season – and have done so twice.
It’s off the back of the club’s most pronounced recruiting drive ever, which saw it welcome in the experience of Shalika Karunanayake as player-coach, Sachintha Rajapakse, Scott Lindsay, Seth Lindsay and Radomir Badzoka.
The other quarterfinals see Berwick take on St Mary’s, North Dandenong host Fountain Gate and Springvale South square off against Narre South.
