WOODFORD’S English import Matt Mountney knew he had to take the opportunity to play cricket in Australia as soon as he could.
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“I have just finished university and I thought after that I have a bit of time,” the 23-year-old said of his decision to ditch an English winter for an Australian summer.
“I also knew Nick (Butters) and Hank (Schlaghecke) and they asked me to travel over so I thought ‘I’ll travel the world while I can’.”
Mountney, who recently finished studying business law in Canada, was happy with his introduction to the south-west but was a bit critical of his start to the season
“I am absolutely loving it,” the all-rounder, who hails from a village in the southern Manchester county of Cheshire called Mobberley, said. “Everyone seems warm and welcoming. I have not got off to the start I have wanted to in the cricket but that’s alright.”
Mountney, who has made 93 runs and taken two wickets in his six matches (five one-dayers and one twenty20), said he was eager for a challenge.
“I wanted to test myself because it is a good standard and I thought I would come over here and enjoy myself and not put too much pressure on myself but still be able to test myself,” the right-hand batsman said.
“I didn’t have any numerical targets in terms of runs and wickets but I just want to test myself against good players.”
The Eels’ swing bowler, who featured in Woodford’s dramatic twenty20 super-over victory against Russells Creek on Saturday, was eager to jump into two-day cricket format and show his skills with the red ball.