Miller returns to Shap Road
Kendal professional and captain Ross McMillan |
Kendal CC professional and captain Ross McMillan is looking forward to the summer after enduring an English winter for the first time.
The popular McMillan elected to stay on after the season and has been busy with winter coaching sessions and making preparations for the campaign. Last season red tape held up McMillan's arrival and the club's fortunes suffered as a result with Kendal finishing a disappointing eighth.
The second team finished second bottom of division two.
"From the club's point of view, things have already started well this season," McMillan said. "I'm here for a start and the preparation has been far better than last year. Things were very difficult at the beginning of last season, and we are really looking forward to a more stable and steady start to the season."
Off-spinner Chris Miller has returned to Kendal after two seasons at Netherfield. The Cumberland county player is a talented performer and will add greatly to McMillan's options. But fellow off-spinner Ben Simm has returned to Lancaster.
Gary Baker returns to the club as wicketkeeper as Donovan Du Plessis's availability will be restricted due to work commitments and he has committed himself to the second team. Lee Sparks has early season football commitments.
"Chris Miller has come back to us, as well as Gaz Baker. Both will be really good additions," McMillan added. "They will fit in well to the ethos of the club and the team. Apart from that, we don't have a lot of changes.
Alan Thompson has taken up employment abroad, and so will no longer be our second team captain. Andy Dugdale is now at the helm, with Donovan du Plessis as his vice skipper.
"Our seconds had a pretty dismal season last year, and they are very much looking to turn that around. The emphasis is going to be on trying to bring as many of our young players through, and hopefully to groom as many of those players for first team cricket as possible. As far as our player base is concerned, we are in a better position than last year, and coupled with more consistency at the start, we are hoping that this will make a big difference to the performance of both of our sides."
McMillan has been working closely with brothers Nick and Mark Phillips and Jack White, three talented teenagers who will again be pushing for regular first-team places in 2010.
But the backbone of the side will again be provided by Terry Hunte and Kevin Howarth in the batting with Stu Parkin looking to build on his breakthrough year in 2009 when he achieved Cumberland county selection. The all round performances of the skipper are also vital to Kendal's season.
"From my point of view, I feel that the side is far more balanced than it has been in the past, and people are starting to feel more comfortable in their roles," McMillan added. "Leagues such as this are all about momentum, and I believe that we have a side that is very capable of developing plenty of that. I'm quietly confident about our league campaign, and after the season we had last year, am very keen to put that right."
Kendal's first division season begins at Darwen on 17 April (1pm).
Stu Parkin represented Cumberland last season |
