MARCH Town Cricket Club welcomed their new Australian spin king on Sunday as Ryan Meyer joined up with the squad.

The former Australia Under-19s star met his new team-mates at an indoor net session after flying in early to acclimatise with the English conditions.

The 21-year-old all-rounder is a slow left-arm chinaman bowler and middle-order batsman, who has been playing first grade cricket in Brisbane, Australia.

He said: “I knew the weather would be cooler, that’s why I caught an early flight out here.

“Obviously the wickets will not be like the ones back home. I am expecting them to be slower but turn more.”

Meyer follows in the footsteps of fellow Aussies Matt Wilcox and Steve Seymour as overseas stars at the Avenue - but captain Chris Ringham hailed the club’s latest acquisition as a “bit of a coup”.

He said: “It could be a massive signing for us. He describes himself as a middle to lower order batsman but that’s in Australian first grade cricket. Wilcox played second grade cricket and look what he did.

“He’s also a left arm wrist spinner, which is something completely different. Spin picks up a lot of wickets in our league and I wouldn’t have thought those spinners would be anywhere close to the Australian Under-19s squad!”

March take on Long Sutton and Downham Town in friendlies before starting their Tucker Division One campaign with a trip to Nassington on April 21.