George Rhodes has followed in the footsteps of new Worcestershire vice-captain Joe Leach in enjoying a successful winter with North Canberra Gungahlin.
Leach helped the Northies to win the T20 competition – their first trophy for 10 years – and finished as leading run-scorer (503) and top wicket-taker (27) in the final first grade averages 12 months ago.
Fellow New Road all-rounder Rhodes has trod the same path Down Under during the past five months and enjoyed similar rewards.
He has departed NCG as their leading run-scorer with 423 at an average of 30.21 with one hundred and two half centuries.
Rhodes finished ahead of Jason Kila (335), Andrew Glover (326), Ben Taylor (238), Liam Greenwood (206) and Brock Winkler (203).
Only Glover (40.75) had a better average than Rhodes.
Rhodes also performed well with the ball and flew back home this week as the Northies second highest wicket-taker with 26 at 17.31.
His overall figures were 139.2-23-450-26 with a strike rate of 32.15 and an economy rate of 3.23.
Only Ben Taylor – 30 wickets at 16.97 – had a higher tally and marginally better average.
Loui Rutzou (15), Hayden Page (13), Andrew Glover (12) and Matthew Boak (11) were the other wicket-takers to reach double figures.
Rhodes efforts has helped NCG qualify for the semi-finals of the ACT Premier Cricket first grade Douglas Cup.
But his focus will now switch to Worcestershire's pre-season tour of Abu Dhabi with the 17 man squad flying out with the coaching and backroom staff on Friday.
