By JARROD POTTER
IT IS a small move geographically but in terms of his cricket development, Cam Dinger’s switch to Casey-South Melbourne is gigantic.
Dinger, 22, from Cranbourne, has packed his bags from Casey Fields Oval 2 and is set to travel all the way down to … Casey Fields Oval 4 to start a second stint in Victorian Premier Cricket.
The up-and-coming spinner is set to join up with the Swans and believes he’s improved on and off the park since his first Premier run around with Dandenong.
“Been thinking about going there for a while – obviously I want to keep developing my cricket and what better time to go to District cricket at more of a mature age now than when I first went,” Dinger said. “So I thought it was a perfect opportunity to go there and try and play District ones.
“When I was bowling mediums – I just went back to my local club and developed a bit more as a cricketer.
“Was probably a little bit immature when I first went there, but I think now that I’ve gone back and played with the likes of Spolly (Steve Spoljaric), (Matt) Chasemore and Lewy (Brett Lewis) as a coach, I’ve learned a lot through them.
“I feel like I’m a lot bigger player than when I went there (Premier Cricket) the first time.”
Casey-South Melbourne moved up the Premier cricket ladder last year, but struggled to contain the opposition in the middle overs.
That’s where Dinger thinks he can make a great impact – coming in as a potential first XI spinner – but he knows while the spot is open … it’s not his for the taking without a lot of hard work.
“It pushes me I guess knowing that spot’s there – to train myself and put myself up for that spot,” Dinger said. “That spot could open up some other things, but it’s not going to come easy so I’ll have to work my arse off to get there.”
Dinger bows out of the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) after a man of the match performance in last season’s extraordinary Turf 1 grand final.
He snared 3/24, 6/44 and made a handy 10 not out at the end to help guide Cranbourne to a reverse-outright premiership victory – easily the rarest result in cricket history.
“Every day I still can’t believe it,” Dinger said about that now famous match. “The grand final was obviously unbelievable but it didn’t inflict on my decision to go to District cricket.
“But whether we won or lost on that day, or if I bowled well or poorly, it wouldn’t have changed my decision.”
Casey-South Melbourne finished 15th in Victorian Premier Cricket’s 2015/16 season with a 5-12 record.
