Geelong officials had been saying they were keen to give Colac’s Josh McDonald a crack at top-grade Victorian Premier Cricket all summer, proving just that on the weekend when the young quick debuted in a cut-throat final against minor premiers Prahan.
The Irrewarra product was presented his Cats’ First XI cap from good mate and fellow Colac quick Josh Garner before getting to work at Melbourne’s iconic Albert Ground for the two-day game across Saturday and Sunday.
With the Cats batting first, they declared on Saturday evening needing to take all 10 wickets to advance to this week’s preliminary final, and McDonald was handed the new
ball.
The 21-year-old had figures of 0-33 from 10 overs yesterday when the Herald went to print.
Geelong director of cricket Travis Agg said McDonald had done enough in the Seconds to warrant selection for the club’s most important game of the season.
The son of Colac’s Sam and Kylie McDonald crossed to the club after winning the CDCA’s Bill Johnston Medal last year, taking 21 wickets as a key weapon in the second grade at Premier level in 2023-24.
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Where To Buy“We contemplated playing him a couple of weeks ago and in hindsight it would’ve been good to give him some experience,” Agg said.
“But at the same time, it wouldn’t have mattered if it was his first game or his 40th game, I think whatever he does we’re going to get exactly the same out of him, and the experience is going to be super beneficial long-term.
“He’s worked really hard throughout the year and every time the captain’s thrown him the ball, he’s gone to work.
“Bowlers like that are really hard to come by and we really like him, so we thought what better opportunity.
“Albert Oval against Prahan in a final, so let’s go.”
The Cats’ bowling stocks had taken a hit after English First Class cricketer Aaron Beard departed for a cricket camp with Essex in Dubai last week.
Agg said it was an easy decision to pick McDonald when opting to play three quicks against Prahan.
“We wouldn’t have played him if we weren’t super confident,” he said.
“At the Albert where wickets are really hard to come by, he bowls a really repeatable length and with pretty good ball speed, so we thought it’d be a good option to go with Tom Neate, obviously Garns and Josh McDonald.
“He’s bowled really, really well in second and third spells throughout the year.”
Fellow Colac youngster Henry Melville missed selection after Australian under-19 star Oliver Peake was available for the clash.
“That could change next week if we progress and Henry could come back into the equation, he was very stiff,” Agg said of the teenage keeper-batsman who was also a surprise inclusion last weekend.