In a timely boost for the District heavyweight, the English import will spend the rest of the season with the Power after arriving in Australia on Thursday.

Drury, who represented Cricket Albury-Wodonga in last summer’s SCG Cup final, made 357 runs for the Phoenix last season at an average of 32.45 before heading back home earlier than expected with fellow import Ben Kohler-Cadmore.

Mount Beauty skipper Al Randell was understandably thrilled to unveil the club’s mid-season recruit.

“From all reports he should be pretty handy,” Randell said.

“To be honest, I’ve never seen him play but obviously he was a rep player last summer and bats well and is a handy off-spinner too.”

Drury’s arrival couldn’t come soon enough, with the Power sure to be up against it today.

Eskdale has emerged as a force in District ranks this summer, sitting on top of the ladder unbeaten at the halfway mark of the season.

“They’ve started well,” Randell conceded.

“They’re on top of the ladder and are playing good cricket.”

But the reigning premier has every reason to be confident, heading into that same break in a rich vein of form itself.

The Power absolutely crushed Barnawartha-Chiltern before Christmas, posting one of the biggest scores of the season as they declared at 9-314 from just 61 overs.

More importantly, Kevin Moorman (71), Greg McLennan (68), Frank Iaria (48), Steve Pask (41) and Randell (30) all got amongst the runs that day and should take plenty of confidence into the new year.

Randell was in devastating touch with the ball, too, taking 5-14 as he tore through the Miners’ line-up.

Gun all-rounder Ashan Ranaweera took 4-35.

But Randell isn’t getting complacent.

“It was good to have a few wins before Christmas but that game was nearly a month ago now,” he said.

“We have to start again.

“It should be a good game.”