Lymington Cricket Club’s Mo Abbas flies home ahead of the Southern Premier Cricket League campaign after shining for Ivanhoe Saints in the Victoria CA’s North-East regional competition

Lymington Cricket Club’s all-rounder Mo Abbas scored just shy of 700 runs and took 22 wickets during his six-month winter stint with Melbourne-based Ivanhoe Saints in the Victoria CA’s North-East regional competition.

On the back of his stay, Lymington have signed Ivanhoe team-mate Ed Withington, an opening bowler and handy lower-order batsman, as their overseas player for the upcoming ECB Southern Premier League campaign, writes Mike Vimpany.

Abbas scored a winter-best 133 against VCA rivals Donvale in October—his maiden hundred in senior club cricket—and made other notable contributions, including 97 against Plenty Valley and five other scores of fifty or more.

His 22-wicket haul included a recent 5-65 return against Kew.

Withington will arrive at Lymington at Easter, just in time for the eagerly anticipated Southern Premier Cricket League derby against New Forest neighbours Bashley (Rydal).

Lymington, which has two other close-season signings, will play warm-up matches at Totton & Eling and Winterbourne in April.

They have recruited Totton & Eling opening batsman and spin bowler Harry Stephens and Ben Shoare, a spin bowler from the powerful Surrey Championship club, Reigate Priory.

Former England cricketer Matthew Maynard is the guest speaker at Lymington’s pre-season fundraising dinner at the town’s Royal Yacht Club on 29th March.