With the club losing a host of senior players from last summer, the first-grade side has turned to a younger brigade to hit winning form this season. 

One of those they’ll be relying on is English import Sonny Day-Tennant. 

The wicketkeeper is looking to be a shining light with the bat for CYMS this season, which isn’t something you’d expect from a guy who’s batted number 11 in England – generally a position occupied in their Test XIs by your Phil Tufnell or Monty Panesar types. 

However, the humble Day-Tennant knocked 79 not out in his first game in the Orange District Cricket Association’s second grade competition on the weekend, which he said was his first decent knock in a long, long time. 

"It's good today with the runs I've got because I haven't really batted in three years,” he said.

“I bat number 11 back home because of the strength of the side we've got.”

That being the case, the Doncaster Cricket Club import was happy to feel bat on ball, regardless of the grade.

“Runs are runs,” he said after his innings, explaining the long outfield made it tough going for batsmen.

"There was no value for runs. I like to play straight and through cover and keep it on the floor. The outfield was so long, it was tough going."

What makes his unbeaten knock even more impressive is he’s only been in the country for a few days – he landed on Thursday, with CYMS stalwart Matt Baker driving to Sydney airport to pick the import up. 

“I went 50 hours without any kip. I was pretty much on my last legs by the time I got here," he said. 

Day-Tennant’s looking forward to playing first grade for most of the season, and also planning on being given the extra responsibility of batting up the order. 

"That's what I've been told and in a way that's sort of why I've come,” he said. 

"I want to progress as a cricketer."

He played junior cricket in Yorkshire representative teams but wasn’t picked up for seniors.

"I got to 17s and they picked the players they wanted to go and I got dropped, it happens,” he said. 

Day-Tennant has a connection with CYMS’ first Doncaster import, another wicketkeeper-batsmen in Simon Guy, who wore the green and gold almost 20 years ago and later played for Yorkshire.

“I played [in Doncaster] with Simon’s brother,” he explained.

Having completed his high school education Day-Tennant’s looking to pursue a career in sports coaching when he gets home – be it for “cricket, football, handball, hockey, rugby – the works”.

But for now, he’s focused on his cricket and helping CYMS into the best spot he can. 

Receive our free newsletter delivered to your inbox every morning, as well as breaking news alerts. Sign up here