WELLINGTON Cricket Club have secured the services of a highly recommended Australian middle order batsman for the coming season in the form of 23-year-old Joel Brockley.

He comes from Wollongong, New South Wales and plays at Sutherland CC where his club captain is former Australian Test opening bat Phil Jaques and colleagues include current Australian international players Steve Smith and Nic Maddinson.

Increasing the 1st XI’s middle order batting capability was one aim that new club and 1st XI Captain Alex Sparks focussed on when he was appointed last December in succession to Paul Short who had done the job for six years.

The club reached an agreement with Brockley at the end of February that was signed off by both parties in early March.

Currently Joel is taking the required steps to be ready for a season’s cricket in the UK while completing his season in Australia where he is ending 2013-2014 in the First Grade side at Sutherland.

Wellington begin their West of England Premier League (Somerset Division) campaign at Staplegrove on Saturday, May 3.