KILLARNEY recruit Joel Henry never imagined his return to full-time cricket would culminate in a grand final appearance.
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Henry, 34, joined the Crabs for the 2013-14 Grassmere Cricket Association season after only playing spasmodically for Allansford over the past 13 years.
He hadn’t played at all for three seasons.
This weekend Henry will come in at number four as Killarney attempts to knock-off minor premier Yambuk in the two-day decider at Purnim.
Henry said he’d regained the passion for cricket and envisaged playing for the Crabs in coming seasons.
“A good mate of mine Jason Hutchins played there and has been on my case for a few seasons and I met the president Garry Vanstone at the WDFNL grand final and he got on my case too,” Henry said of his decision to join the club.
“It was a great decision. There is a good atmosphere there and no better place to play cricket than down at Killarney beach.”
Henry, who is also a leg-spinner, has made four half- centuries, with a top score of 70 against Wangoom in the final home-and-away round.
The right-handed bat has averaged 41.9.
“At the start I was a bit scratchy but since halfway through my form has been a bit better,” he said.
“In the one-day games at the start of the year I was opening the batting and in the two-days I went down to number four.
“I haven’t gone on and made a big score. I’ve made starts, a lot of 30s and 40s and a couple of 50s.”
Killarney, which knocked off reigning premier Panmure in the semi-final, finished second on the ladder. Its three losses came at the start of the season.
The Crabs’ opponent Yambuk went through the season undefeated.