Ex-Test cricketer boosts Grammar ranks

Great Southern Grammar’s hopes of a maiden finals birth in the Albany Cricket Association B-grade competition have been boosted by the inclusion of a former Zimbabwean Test cricketer.

Neil Ferreira, who played one test for Zimbabwe in 2005 as an opening batsman, will head up the school’s fledgling cricket program after moving to the region with his wife and three children.

The wicketkeeper batsman made scores of nine and 16 opening the batting against New Zealand on debut facing retired speedster Shane Bond in the test which lasted only two days.

His first-class career of 40 matches includes a highest score of 220 not out and nine hundreds.

Ferreira said he was “chuffed” to be appointed to the school and be able to relocate to Australia after nine years in the UK working as a teacher and coach.

Despite believing his best playing days were over at the age of 34, Ferreira said he was looking forward to playing a mentoring role.

“I’m sure I will play,” he said.

“In terms of playing I don’t mind playing down there (in B-grade) as the school’s players will be in the team.

“I look at myself in playing a role in guiding the players through.”

Grammar headmaster Stuart Marquardt said Ferreira’s credentials as a level three coach would help continue to develop the school’s younger players.

“We want our kids to have the same opportunities as those who attend school in Perth,” he said.

The school has qualified to contest the remainder of the B-grade season following the mid-season split of the competition into B and C-grade competition.

Grammar scraped into the top six after the association’s protests and disputes board overturned a decision from the ACA executive, which deemed the side played an uncleared player in their round 2 clash with Manypeaks Black.

The board chose to re-instate the result — a Grammar win — believing they had made a genuine attempt to follow the rules.