Cult cricket icon Pavel Florin the latest addition to this year’s Southern Smash Twenty20 competition

A Romanian cult cricket sensation who is known worldwide for his distinctive bowling action has become the latest signing in this year’s edition of the Southern Smash. Pavel Florin, a nightclub bouncer who rose to fame in 2019 after a video of him surfaced bowling for his local side Cluj Cricket Club in the European Cricket League, is the competition’s sixth big-name signing for the two-day Twenty20 competition next week. The Transylvanian icon who took up cricket at the age of 31 will now join the likes of Sri-Lankan legend Tillakaratne Dilshan, hard-hitting State cricket star Mark Cosgrove and WA Premier cricketer Jacob Whiteaker. Florin’s tendency for bowling lofty floaters and his unshakeable enthusiasm for the game captured the imagination of cricket fans worldwide, with the all-rounder enjoying stints with Surrey Hills Cricket Club in Melbourne and Subiaco Marist Cricket Club in Perth after his rise to stardom. The 43-year-old also played 16 matches for Romania’s Twenty20 international squad from 2019-2021. Florin has more recently taken up an ambassador role for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League. Not one to let criticism get in the way of his love for the game, Florin said he was looking forward to spending time in Albany for the first time. “I’ve never been to Albany and I’m looking forward to an adventure, I love to travel everywhere, right now I am in Sydney and the next stop is Albany,” he said. “I am working as an ambassador for the Melbourne Stars team and I hope one day to play, but right now is not the time, maybe in the future.” “I’ve never been to Albany, I’ve been to Perth in 2019 and I love WA.” It’s not yet determined how much the Romanian will participate in the Southern Smash but Florin says he remains confident in his ability. “The slow ball is the new fast ball, don’t believe the people that say those that bowl slow don’t take wickets or that we aren’t good for the game,” Florin said. “I trust in my skills and ability to play cricket, I’m a fighter and a good teammate. “I don’t think about who is a good cricketer or a bad cricketer, I play against anyone and enjoy myself. “I have a good story behind me, I come to show that cricket is everywhere and is for everyone, we are all lucky to play it. “I was in the draft of the Big Bash League so the organisers from Albany told me to come and play for them and I said yes, it’s just that simple. “Where I come from the people are different and they aren’t like here, we like to meet new people but the people from Australia also like to meet different types of people. “I really look forward to enjoying every minute, I don’t know many things about Albany or the competition but every time someone asks to play cricket, I am always happy to say yes.” Smash co-organiser Tim Edmunds said they were rapt to add Florin to the competition’s ranks. “We found out that Pavel had put his hand up to go into the Big Bash draft and we mentioned on our twitter page to him that if he missed out on that, there was always the Southern Smash available,” he said. “Adam Pumphrey who has helped a lot with the organising got in touch with him quite a few weeks ago and started chatting. “Basically since he was going to be in Australia, we thought it would certainly be a possibility.” In addition to the T20 competition, Florin and former Australian ODI international player Cosgrove will take part in a super-over as part of the grand final pre-match entertainment.