Devon Cricket Board - Bradninch add Argentinian flavour to Devon League

Bradninch add Argentinian flavour to Devon League

Bradninch CC have turned to South America for their latest signing, writes Stephen Birley.
Heading for Kensham Park is 20-year-old Argetinian Lautaro Musiani who played in the 2013 ICC World Cricket League Division Six tournament.
Lautaro, a batsman and a leg-spin bowler, has an EU passport through Spanish ancestry. He has represented Argentina at U15, U19 and senior level, being the youngest ever to do so when just 13 he made his debut for Argentina Under-19s, taking four wickets for 30 runs in the meeting with Cayman Islands. He also has a return of 4-30 against Bermuda, and 3-36 against the USA.
Lautaro made his senior Argentina debut aged just 15, picking up his first senior wicket against Bahrain in Singapore.
Back home in Argentina, the annual North Argentina versus South Argentina fixture - a three-day encounter that actually outdates the Ashes.
On his second appearance aged just 16, I took a match-winning five-wicket haul and the following year scored a match-saving century!
To date, the 20-year-olds best bowling return for the full Argentina side came in a 50 over game against a strong MCC touring side that featured England’s Darren Maddy and Gloucestershire stalwarts, Steven Snell and Steven Kirby.
Lautaro says: “In 2012 I successfully applied for a cricket scholarship at Rugby School to continue my studies and pursue my cricketing ambitions. Before going to England, I struggled with my leg-spin, which kept me quiet for two years.
"I played for Great Oakley CC and Finedon Dolben CC in 2014 with moderate success, scoring over 200 runs for Great Oakley in a handful of games. My performances led to me returning as the club’s overseas player for the 2015 season.
"My 2015 was far more successful, as I scored nearly 450 runs in 13 games at an average of 37, whilst also adding two tons for Rugby, against both Marlborough College and Rugby CC. During this summer, I also spent several weeks on trial with Northamptonshire CCC.
“Upon returning to Argentina, I was selected to join up with the ICC Americas Cricket Combine in Indianapolis. The competition, which began with 80 candidates from all over the Americas, aimed to put together an XI capable of competing in the Nagico Cup.
“I reached the final phase, where Courtney Walsh – the chief selector, specifically took me aside to praise my leg-spin bowling and encouraged to take it up again (I was playing solely as a batsman at that time).”

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