CRICKET: Fraser is a star in the making (From Swindon Advertiser)

CRICKET: Fraser is a star in the making

9:00am Saturday 5th November 2011 in Cricket By Andrew Warren

A RISING cricket star from Swindon is already hard at work preparing for next season after forcing his way into his club’s men’s teams at the tender age of 12.

Fraser Gordon broke into Marlborough CC’s senior sides at the back end of last season and picked up five wicket hauls for both the 3rd and 2nd teams, as well as starring throughout the season for Wiltshire u13s.

The highlight of the young off-spinner’s summer was claiming an impressive 5-18 for Wiltshire against Hampshire, and his exploits won him a host of end-of-season awards from both club and county.

The youngster has been selected to be involved in extra training with Wiltshire throughout the winter, and he is hoping to make a bigger impact in men’s cricket next season.

“It was a very good season for me, and it was probably my best season yet,” he told the Advertiser. “It was very exciting to be asked to play with the men’s teams, and it was good to take some wickets too.

“They were all very good to me and when I took wickets they said well done, even when I got them out.

“I would like to be able to play more men’s cricket in the future because I think that is the best way for me to improve, and hopefully I can take more wickets next season.

Magnus Painter, head of the academy at Marlborough, was impressed with how the young spinner performed and has backed him to have a big future in the game.

“For a young lad to achieve what Fraser has achieved at such a young age is something which does not happen very often,” he said.

“Making the step up was something we had earmarked for Fraser since he was eight or nine-years-old though because we saw so much potential in him.

“When he is with his own age group, and even up to the Under 15s, he stands out with his bowling and takes a lot of wickets even though he is not the biggest, so it was great for him to be able to move up to senior cricket.

“Next season he will be involved with the 2nds, then hopefully the season after that we hope he will be able to push on and maybe get involved with the first team.”