By Tara Murray
One of the biggest names in local cricket has signed with Gisborne in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association.
The McIntyre Cup runners-up announced on Tuesday that Mick Allen would join the club in a huge signing for the Dragons. Allen didn’t play in the recently finished season having decided to have a year off.
He had spent the previous two seasons as captain-coach of fellow GDCA club, Riddell, where he was one of the top batsman in the competition.
In his time at the Bombers, he averaged 73.48 with the bat, making three centuries and 15 half centuries. He also contributed with the ball, taking 34 wickets.
Before returning to his local club in Riddell, Allen had a long career at the higher level.
He played in both Victorian Premier Cricket and the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association, claiming the top individual awards in both competitions, the Ryder and Hatch medals.
The signing of Allen is big for the Dragons which fell just short of their third premiership in four years.
It’s the second piece of big news out of the Dragons in the off-season, with Gavin Mackay taking on the coaching role.
