Wodonga Raiders Cricket Club lands biggest signing in club history

Alistair Burge won Kew's bowling award in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association, topping team-mate and former Australian player John Hastings.

"He was the primary spinner in a season where the wickets were pretty flat, it's only 40 overs a side, so they're pretty much a batting paradise, but he turned the momentum around a number of times with the ball, both restricting runs and taking wickets," Kew vice-president Ben Smith suggested.

Burge finished with 29 wickets at 14, while Hastings, who started the season off a few paces but was bowling at pace towards the end of the summer, snared 21 at 12.

Sub-District is the level before Victorian Premier Cricket, so it's an excellent standard.

"He'd be the biggest signing we've had at the club," Raiders' president Ben Stewart revealed.

"I think it's a real statement of how far the club has come the last few years and it's certainly an attractive proposition now."

Raiders played at district level in 2012-13, but then racked up six successive wooden spoons in provincial, including five winless seasons.

The club then had a breakout 2019-20, posting five wins, including a huge upset against North Albury.

However, it regained the wooden spoon last summer.

But Raiders do have some talented teens, including Stewart's son Jack, who played in Victoria Country's win over Queensland in the Australian under 15 championships two years ago.

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"It's another person our kids can look up to and could fast-track their development, they'll walk a little taller," coach Stewart Pearce offered.

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