East Albury star leaves for UK

Young quick Sam Hockin played his last game for the Cricket-Albury Wodonga outfit at the weekend in the loss against North Albury at Alexandra Park but has not ruled out a return to the Border.

Hockin, a regular CAW representative player, will fly out from Albury Airport to Sydney on Saturday and then onto England, where he plans to return to live and work in his hometown of Cornwall.

But Crows fans can breathe easier with confirmation the 21-year-old’s brother Ash is trying to acquire permanent residency in Australia and has no immediate plans to return home.

Ash, 23, who has been in Australia since 2008, said his brother always planned to returned to the UK but said he was confident he would not be lost to Border cricket altogether.

“He’s been over for the first half of the season,” Corowa-based Hockin said.

“I think he only played two full days of cricket in three months (because of wet weather).

“It’s not going to help us with cricket but we still have a good young attack.

“I think he wants to come back in probably two or three seasons’ time. He wants to get a job working for the local cricket board.

“He’s a lot bigger and a lot quicker now.”

Sam took a wicket in each of his three first-grade Provincial games this season to finish with six from 21.4 overs.

His best figures were the 3-24 he took against Belvoir at Alexandra Park in round 2.

In Hockin’s previous visit Down Under in the 2008-’09 season he took an impressive 26 Provincial wickets — 29 if you include Twenty20 wickets — to finish seventh in the bowling averages with an economy rate of 2.78 and an amazing 49 maidens from 180.4 overs.

Despite his limited time on the field, East Albury skipper Alistair Rose said Hockin’s departure was a blow.

“He’s only played what we’ve managed to get in,” Rose said.

“He was only going to be here until Christmas. He’s improved a heap since he was last here that’s for sure.”