READ MORE - 2020-21 EVCA season fixture
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CALIFORNIA Gully has injected a boost of experience into its side just over three weeks out from the start of the Emu Valley Cricket Association season with the signing of keeper-batsman Brodie McRae.
McRae was a member of Huntly-North Epsom's 2018-19 BDCA premiership team and joins the Cobras having made more than 3500 runs in the BDCA through stints at White Hills and Huntly-North Epsom.
California Gully vice-president Brad Webster described the signing of McRae as persistence paying off for the Cobras.
"As a club we have been persistent in our pursuit of Brodie to join the Cobras for several seasons," Webster said on Tuesday.
"We have approached Brodie on numerous occasions over the past few years, however, we have respected his decision to remain at the Power during those seasons.
"As Brodie is now looking to develop his coaching skillset, he felt that now was the time to complement his experience at BDCA level with an EVCA club that would allow him to develop his coaching experience.
"It just shows that persistence does finally pay off in the long run."
Since 2000 McRae ranks No.30 on the list of leading run-scorers in the BDCA with 3643 at an average of 23.55.
His BDCA career features three centuries - 171 n.o. for White Hills v Golden Square in 2005-06, 108 for White Hills v Strathfieldsaye in 2007-08 and 105 n.o. for Huntly-North Epsom against Sandhurst in 2012-13.
Over the past decade he also took 180 dismissals behind the stumps for the Power - 144 catches and 36 stumpings.
As well as the signing of McRae, the Cobras have also added former Bendigo player Justin Bice, while they have two key players from their 2016-17 premiership team returning in Clint Prime and Kansas Varker.
Experienced batsman Prime skippered the 2016-17 premiership, while Varker was man-of-the-match in the grand final win over Mandurang taking 5-57.
Varker was also the EVCA's under-21 player of the year that season.
The Cobras, who will again be coached by Marcus McKern, are coming off just two wins last season.
Meanwhile, the Cobras will be entering a team in the Bendigo District Cricket Association's women's competition, with the side to be coached by club stalwart Mick Galvin.
The Cobras have also confirmed they will be fielding a second side in the EVCA's third division.
The team, in partnership with the Bendigo Strikers, will be known as the Cal Gully Cobras.
California Gully is the reigning division three section two premier after beating Sedgwick by 119 runs in last season's grand final.
Training for the Cobras men's teams is being held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while women's training is being held on Wednesdays at California Gully Recreation Reserve.
The 2020-21 EVCA season will hit off on Saturday, October 31, and be played as an all one-day competition over 18 rounds. The Cobras have the bye in round one.
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