Feels like home: Import Louis Sabbagh-Holt is loving life at Kyabram after travelling halfway across the world from England.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
It’s nearly 17,000km from his front door, but Kyabram feels like home for new Redbacks import Louis Sabbagh-Holt.
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The 18-year-old English spinner, born in the market town of Cirencester nestled in the county of Gloucestershire, never expected to be bowling off-breaks halfway across the world once his schooling journey ended.
He arrived in the Campaspe Shire through unusual circumstances, all beginning with a test ― but there were no whites or a Dukes red ball in sight.
“I got my post-18 exam results back and I didn’t do as well as I thought I would to get into the uni I wanted,” he said.
“I thought about what kind of options I have, I’m okay at cricket, I think I can get by.
“So I looked online at some agencies, found one and contacted the bloke in England.
“Within 48 hours he’d put me in touch with Jackson (McLay) and from then on it kind of just snowballed into this.”
Cherry on top: Louis Sabbagh-Holt can’t wait to get his hands on a red ball once two-day action begins.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Two weeks after chatting with Kyabram’s coach Sabbagh-Holt had penned a contract.
A week later, he was on a 22-hour flight: destination Down Under.
Once he touched down assimilation into the Redbacks’ inner sanctum came quick and easy, mainly down to Sabbagh-Holt’s love of spinning a yarn marrying his passion for doing so with a cricket ball.
“The boys at Ky got me around the team, introduced me to everyone throughout the club and it’s been so easy as a merger,” he said.
“Ky is very similar to the town I grew up in back home.
“It’s big enough that there’s things to do, but small enough that you’ve got a really strong community.
“Everyone looks out for each other in the area which is something I’ve noticed already.
“I walk into a shop, I speak with an English accent and someone goes ‘oh you’re the guy who plays for the cricket club’ and we get a conversation going.
“It’s been so welcoming for an outsider who’s never been further than Spain.”
While the young tweaker can happily chinwag with the locals, Sabbagh-Holt is starting to do his talking on the pitch.
He sits equal-fourth on the Haisman Shield standing for wickets taken with five from three games, but he admits his role at the Redbacks is purely team-based.
Last season’s minor premier has endured an underwhelming entrance to the season, partly put down to Kyabram’s deep run into football finals with the Redbacks boasting several cross-code stars.
After three games Kyabram sits ninth with a 1-2 ledger ― far from title-winning form.
Sabbagh-Holt is here to change that.
Land down under: Life at Kyabram has been peachy so far for the fresh Redbacks man.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
“For me personally, I spoke to Jackson and I said ‘look, I don’t intend to come and be the best player’,” he said.
“Being so young, my big ambition was to come and just get some life experience and play some different cricket. I’ve never actually played with a white ball.
“Even if I don’t take wickets and I just bowl well and help contribute in some way, it’s life experience for one and then as long as we’re winning I’d happily do whatever to help the team win.”
If he already feels at home, Sabbagh-Holt will think he’s back in Cirencester come November when two-day cricket ― and red balls to accompany ― surface in November.
The teenager is eyeing off longer spells, more revolutions and extra time with the ball in hand to spin, win and celebrate alongside his Redbacks teammates.
He said the quaint nature of Kyabram prohibited too much of the latter, which he viewed as a positive.
For one, it slims the chance of the young offie spinning out of control.
However, should the Redbacks recapture their mojo from last season, he expects to cut loose and enjoy the spoils the old-fashioned way.
“There’s less chance for crazy stuff to happen on nights out here, which is not a dig at Ky. It just makes it comfortable to be a part of,” he said.
“If I want to I can go to somewhere which is a bit bigger like Echuca or Bendigo on a weekend with the boys if we decide to do an away, go to somewhere where there’s a bit more rowdiness going on.
“But what it means is that it allows me to focus on the cricket a lot more.
“I can train on the nights off rather than being enticed by going out to the pub every night and getting wasted ― which I can do on a Saturday night with the boys anyway.”
So, when Kyabram comes to play, batters and bartenders alike should remember one thing.
