PRIZE SCALP FOR DAVID GRIFFITHS

PRIZE SCALP FOR DAVID GRIFFITHS by Mike Vimpany Rookie Hampshire medium-pace bowler David Griffiths celebrated the prize wicket of former Australia Test opener Justin Langer on his debut for WACA pennant grade club Rockingham-Mandurah in Perth. Griffiths, 22, is preparing for the new county season by spending the next three months at Paul Terry’s cricket academy. He’s playing two-day weekend Retravision Shield cricket for pennant strugglers Rockingham, whose base is a 45-minute drive from the city centre. Griffiths celebrated his debut for the south coast club with a pleasing 4-97 return in 17 overs against top dogs Scarborough – figures which included the prize scalp of the gutsy Langer, who he had caught behind immediately after lunch. The former Australia left-hander made 69. “I was pretty pleased with my start, but I only arrived in Perth five days before the game, so had barely done any training and was far from match fit. “Bowling in 33C heat and having to cope with a cross-wind wasn’t ideal and my legs each felt like a ton weight come the luncheon interval,” he confessed. Griffiths, who made five County Championship appearances for Hampshire last summer, took a wicket with only his third ball on Western Australian soil. He had State batsmen Clint Heron caught at slip for a duck and soon afterwards removed Mich Stoinis, the Australia Under-19 opener, caught at point for seven. There was no more pre-lunch joy for Griffiths – or Rockingham – as Langer and England Under-19 captain Rory Hamilton-Brown (59) eased Scarborough past the 100-mark. But shortly after the lunch interval and with Langer threatening to post a century-plus score, Griffiths got the top scalp of his fledgling career. He got a ball to swing away to the gritty Aussie left-hander, who nicked a fine catch behind. Talking about the dismissal, Griffiths agreed Langer’s scalp was probably his most prized so far. “I got Graeme Hick and Vikram Solanki when we beat Worcestershire handsomely at the Rose Bowl last season and New Zealand’s Scott Styris for Durham. “It’s obviously what I do for Hampshire that counts, but having the wicket of Justin Langer on my cricket CV won’t do my confidence any harm,” he smiled. Griffiths’s bowling got the nod of approval from Langer, who called time on a distinguished 105-match Test career after Australia’s 5-0 Ashes whitewash of England in Sydney last January. “He looked pretty good and if he keeps working on bowling his away swing – and the in-swinger to the left-hander – there’s no reason why he can’t do well in English county cricket,” Langer said of the Isle of Wight born seamer. “It was always going to be a challenge for David, who is a relatively short fast bowler, which puts him at a disadvantage against players like me. “But I was impressed with his competitive spirit and he certainly bowled some decent bouncers. “He mixed things up and used the width of the crease effectively – and ended up getting me out, so he’s got to be pleased.” Mike Vimpany