‘This was the age’ for Mooroopna’s newest English import to spread his wings

Now, more than two months into the 2023-24 season, a new face emerges who, while not virtually straight off the plane like previous News Haisman interviewees, came with no expectations of the area nor his ability to acclimatise within it.

Fresh off a long pre-training run, yet catching his breath effortlessly in a clouded, 35°C atmosphere ― traditionally balmy, if you will ― tall opening batsman Matt Price introduces himself.

“I have played cricket since I was five or six and captained my school team,” Price said.

“I played some junior County cricket as well, but if I’m being honest, cricket was my second sport until I started university.

“I always played cricket in the summer and rugby in the winter, but if you’d asked me what my primary sport was, even at age 18 or 19, I would have said rugby.

“A few concussions made it hard on my rugby journey, so I thought it was time to either pack it in or learn to tackle properly.”

As his career trajectory demonstrates it wouldn’t have taken much for this meeting never to have happened, though Price’s time at Newcastle Falcons is a distant memory now at age 23.

After moving into senior cricket in his native North Yorkshire, plying his trade for Richmondshire, it eventually clicked that settling full-time was not the goal.

“I had a couple of decent seasons there and a couple not so good,” Price said.

“I thought, at the age of 23, if I’m ever going to improve and get new life experiences that this was the age to do it.”

Naturally, Mooroopna is the obvious destination of choice, right?

As it turns out, the climate is more familiar than first impressions suggest.

“A big part of ‘why here?’ was that, while I didn’t know Shepparton, I was keen to be at a country club,” Price said.

“I’m from a small town myself and we would always go to the same breakfast spot every Saturday before a game.

“I wanted to go somewhere you could walk into a diner and speak over the counter with someone who recognises you from the last week.

“It’s a massive club and there’s a big family feel here, like everyone knows everyone.”

As captivating as some of the region’s cuisine and picturesque views can be, one’s head must eventually come down from the clouds ― ideally, landing in the middle of the pitch.

However, Price has had time to strike a balance and find his footing well.

Regardless of what lies ahead in season 2023-24, his enduring impact may be best encapsulated through his thrilling one-day knock of 88 in a nail-biting one-wicket triumph over Kyabram.

The innings Price compiled that night, even as the order sometimes capitulated around him, almost solely stole the Haisman Shield points in a memorable outing.

Where to from here, though, after a season that started with two washouts and a loss to Katandra followed by four straight wins?

“After every game, we’ve reflected on what we can work on and Waaia will be a tough game,” Price said.

“Not having played in this league before, it’ll be a tough test.

“In terms of season ambitions, it’s just getting to finals, finishing as high as possible, the goal is to keep improving week-on-week.”

For now, Price has some time in the area under his belt and has built sizeable camaraderie at the Cats.

The ruthless stitch-ups he was subjected to while posing for the picture for this story exemplify this.

So you can safely conclude this won’t be Price’s only go-around in the Haisman Shield.

“You just have to look at the current Mooroopna side to see it’s got a definite pull factor for people from the UK,” Price said.

“Jack Gaskill being here is one thing and Henry Barrow is about an hour away from me back home and played in the league next to me.

“It’s a testament to the atmosphere the people around here have created, having been here two and a half months.

“Everyone has been extremely welcoming.”