By KRISTEN ALEBAKIS
FORMER Werribee Districts footy player Travis Dean is poised to make his debut for the Victorian Bushrangers in the Sheffield Shield on Wednesday.
The talented cricketer, from Footscray Edegwater, reminded selectors of his superb batting talents last week when he smashed an unbeaten 217 runs and a 63 during last week’s Victoria’s Toyota Futures League match against Western Australia.
The Bushrangers have two batting positions vacant after Australian opener Chris Rogers and fan-favourite David Hussey retired from all forms of the game earlier this year.
Victorian chairman of selectors Andrew Lynch said Travis, who earned a Victorian contract in April, had been impressing selectors with his performances over the past 12 months.
“We contracted him after a big year he had in Premier Cricket and at the next level in Futures League,” he said.
“He’s obviously in good form.
“He really deserves a shot in the top order where we think he can do well for us.”
Mr Lynch also said Cameron White and Aaron Finch were both overlooked for the first Sheffield Shield game, with selectors opting to go with young gun Travis.
“Cam is a bit unlucky, but with our full complement of players to choose from there just wasn’t a spot for him,” he said.
“If Finch has been selected it would have been as an opener and on this occasion (Travis) Dean has been selected ahead of him.”
If selected in the final team on Wednesday, Travis will become the 843rd player to represent the state in first-class cricket.
Travis played 20 games for Werribee Districts' Division 1 senior Western Region Football team in 2014, including their preliminary final loss to Spotswood.
The talented sportsman also played football for the Werribee Districts in the Victorian Amateur Football Association.
Victoria is aiming to win back-to-back Sheffield Shield titles.
Victoria will take on Queensland at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday at 2pm.
Meanwhile, his brothers Matthew and Shaun have also had successfull stints with the bat over the past two weeks.
Matthew Dean scored a massive 235 combined runs in two rounds for Werribee in Sub-Districts Cricket.
Matthew, who won the 2014 Barry Priest medal, scored 132 runs against Yarraville and 103 against Williamstown.
Shaun, a former batsman for Footscray-Edgewater and Geelong, has also enjoyed a fine start to the season, scoring 91 and 85 not out.
Last Modified on 27/10/2015 16:13