Klinger completes County campaign

VETERAN cricketer Michael Klinger has faced his last ball on English soil for the County Championships, now set to return to Australia for the upcoming season with the South Australian Redbacks and Adelaide Strikers.

Having smashed more than 2000 runs in all forms with Gloucestershire, Klinger will return home hoping to continue his strong form ahead of Australia’s Ashes campaign later in the year.

The 35-year-old has been facing the English bowlers for the past few months and is arguably one of the most inform Australian batsmen at the moment, taking his first-class batting average to just below 40.

He has earned the praises of his Gloucestershire teammates, having taken the side to the top four in Division Two of the County Championship and Group C of the Yorkshire Bank 40.

“Michael has been fantastic and was just what this group needed,” Gloucestershire all-rounder Will Gidman said.

“He is one of those guys who just keeps on going and, as much as I hate to admit it, he has that typical Australian attitude that you have never done enough.”

Klinger has brought the best out of his young teammates as captain of the side, leaving a great impression ahead of his return stint for next year’s campaign.

“He constantly encourages the highest possible standards from everyone else,” said Gidman.

“It’s a credit to Michael, because he always remains positive and tries to encourage when it would be easy to criticise.”

AJN STAFF

Photo: SACA

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