Best foot Ford: Michael Ford will suit up for Victoria at the National Cricket Inclusion Championships from January 20-25.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Michael Ford is never shy about using humour to downplay his talents - but don’t get it wrong; the man can play.
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The bowling all-rounder is an evergreen force for Mooroopna in the lower grades. Still, he’ll trade Cricket Shepparton’s wickets for the bright lights of Brisbane for six days at the National Cricket Inclusion Championships starting Saturday.
Ford, who has Aspergers Syndrome, gained selection to the Victorian Intellectual Disability side, hunting its fourth consecutive title.
And last time around, the wily leg-spinner began with a hiss and a roar.
Ford starred with a hat-trick in the final against Tasmania to announce himself most grandly, but this time around he has humbler ambitions.
“I just want to get the ball on the pitch, mate,” he said with a laugh.
“But I want to go up there and do my best for the team and my home club in Mooroopna, and do me and my family proud. It’s a really big honour to play for Victoria.
“I’m very excited, last year was a first for me and it was really enjoyable but I just want to get up there and play cricket again.”
Ford has been quietly chugging along for Mooroopna in the 2023-24 season, lending his services to both the D and E-grade sides.
Spin king: Michael Ford is a more than handy leg spinner who has taken seven wickets for Mooroopna so far this season.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
He has seven wickets at 16 as well as 61 runs at 15.25, top scoring with 39 against Katandra, and said he’s enjoying batting up the order recently.
But true to form, Ford came up with a doozy when asked what his strengths are.
“I’m a leg spinner who bowls a lot of wrong-uns. That’s what all the boys give me sh*t for,” he said jokingly.
“But I’ve been doing a bit of coaching and mentoring the young kids coming through the grades as well, just with all of the experience I’ve had because I’m a bit older than those 15-year-olds.”
That experience will be called upon in Brisbane from Saturday onwards.
Though he’s a relative newcomer to the Victorian ID team, Ford’s cricketing know-how and surgical ability to unlock batters’ defences will be pivotal at the NCIC.
To say he’s keen to roll the arm over would be an understatement.
“We’re going for four titles in a row, the Vic boys, so get around us when we’re on that stage in Brisbane this week,” he said.
“I’ve only been in the system for two years but the boys had won it twice in a row before I joined, so I joined at the right time.
“We’re in a pretty good position; we’ve had a few good hit outs in the nets down in Melbourne in the last few weeks after Christmas and some before, and the coaches have got us looking pretty ready and fit to go.”
