Plant, who hails from Birmingham Cricket Association club Walsall, arrived in Warrnambool on Monday as preparations for round one next weekend ramp up.

Gannon, who has replaced Michael Walsh at the helm of the top-grade side, believed Plant, 20, was well-suited to the competition.

The all-rounder, who shapes as a new-ball partner for Coby Dudman, is the latest Englishman to spend a summer with the club. Will Chapples and Andy Rishton are their past two imports.

“We had (Plant) at training Tuesday night and he bowled reasonably well. He didn’t have a hit becuase he didn’t have his gear, it’s still in transit,” Gannon said.

“But he looks really handy with the ball and from what I’ve heard, the feedback we’re getting from our agent overseas, he’s handy with the bat as well.”

Plant is among a handful of recruits who will make Tigerland their home this summer. All-rounder Mark Jones arrives after a stint captaining Koroit while paceman Matt Ross-Watson has crossed from Koroit.

The trio give Merrivale arguably the best pace stocks in the competition, although Matthew Petherick has joined Russells Creek.

Simon Fleming and Matthew Wilkinson are the other omissions, having stepped back from top-grade duties.

Gannon said the Tigers needed to excel at all three formats of the game – Twenty20, one-day and two-day – if they were to return to finals. They are in the Hopkins conference, alongside Allansford, Wesley-CBC, West Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Brierly-Christ Church.

“Last year that’s what cost us. Our two-day form was as good as anyone’s but we dropped a couple of close Twenty20 games just after Christmas,” Gannon said.

“In the end a couple of points was the difference between us getting through finals and missing out. There’s a big emphasis at the club that we need to improve our Twenty20 form.”