New pro for Fleetwood
Chorley captain Andy Holdsworth is hoping not to be stumped in 2010 |
The Furness Building Society Northern Premier Cricket League (in association with Readers Cricket Balls) commences on Saturday 17 April 2010.
Copies of the new-look League handbook are available at a cost of £5 (including p&p and a small donation to Cancer Research)
from Latham Baxendale,
28 Windermere Drive,
Adlington,
Chorley PR6 9PD.
Please make out cheques to Northern Cricket League.
Here is a round-up of the pre-season activity to date.
Fleetwood Pro
Fleetwood have announced their new professional for 2010, leaving only Netherfield and Leyland still to confirm their paid men for the season which starts in just over one month's time.
Fleetwood Cricket Club's professional for 2010 season is Matt Frith. Fleetwood CC spokesperson Wayne Clarke says: He is a 23 year old Australian, who plays first grade cricket for Randwick Petersham in the strong Sydney Grade competition.
Matt is an opening batsman who is also a capable medium pace seam bowler. Matt although not having played first-class cricket is eligible to play as he holds a UK passport.
http://www.randwickpetershamcricket.com.au/showrvcontent.aspx?playerID=160402&eID=261&seasonID=65&loc=/cricket/reports/player.asp&loc1/player.asp
James Ellis continues as Fleetwood captain for 2010 with Matt Clark Second XI captain. Last season's professional Rassie van der Dussen has enjoyed a fine season back home in South Africa while highly-rated West Indies U19 star Chesney Hughes has signed a two-year contract with Derbyshire.
Holdsworth takes reins at Chorley
Andy Holdsworth has taken over the captaincy at Chorley for the 2010 season, replacing Jack Catterall in the Windsor Park hot seat.
Last season's vice-captain Holdsworth is a middle order batsman, who also bowls medium pace and keeps wicket when required. Catterall will remain a valuable part of the Chorley side and will concentrate on his batting in 2010.
Chorley celebrate their centenary this year and committee members Tony Dawber and Dave Hindle have put together a centenary booklet which will be available shortly.
John Hotham has been confirmed as 2nd XI captain and will again take on the cricket manager's role at the club.
There are unconfirmed reports that Chorley have signed one of Bolton League's leading batsmen. They are awaiting back signed forms from the player.
After having two highly successful pros in the last two years Chorley are looking forward to the arrival of South African J J Smuts. Our pro in 2008, Friedel de Wet played Test cricket for South Africa against England over the winter, says Holdsworth.
And Chris Hartley hasn't stopped scoring runs since he went back to Queensland after playing for us in 2009. He must be on the verge of playing for Australia as a wicketkeeper/ batsman.
I keep in touch with both players and they are both full of praise for the way that being cricket professional at Chorley furthered their careers. Hopefully J J will follow in their footsteps.
It's a great honour to captain especially in their centenary year and a challenge I'm looking forward to immensely.
But leading bowler Jim Lee will miss the start of the season while he completes his university commitments in the United States while top left-arm spinner Rex Purnell is again likely to have his availability restricted.
Same again at Leyland
David Makinson will once again lead Leyland CC in 2010 with Chris Dovey back in charge of the 2nd XI.
Makinson is a highly respected figure in Northern League circles and the former Lancashire county player has achieved the double of 10,000 runs and 1,000 wickets in the league.
Dovey led Leyland to victory in last season's Second Division Cup Final when they defeated Chorley in a rain-affected game.
Lancashire Second XI player Luis Reece, James Rounding and Karl Cross have all been playing grade cricket in Australia over the winter.
Leyland have still to confirm their professional for 2010.
Adam 'Tiny' Hornby is back in big-hitting action for Carnforth |
Tiny back at Carnforth
Carnforth's 2008 captain Adam 'Tiny' Hornby will resume his Northern League career with the Lodge Quarry outfit in 2010.
Hornby had to restrict his cricketing activities to the Westmorland League last summer due to work commitments as he concentrated on his own painting and decorating business.
But Hornby has now confirmed his availability for the season where his hard-hitting batting style and fine fielding will add to new captain Darren Moore's options.
Tiny is a popular member of the club and has given us a big boost by returning. says Carnforth CC chairman Mark Holmes. He has been keeping fit by playing in goal for Milnthorpe Corinthuans in the West Lancashire League during the winter.
'Winter nets have been well attended and Adam Cowperthwaite, Darren Moore and our pro Gareth Pedder have organised some successful youth coaching sessions at a local school. Tom Barnfield has masterminded a new club website and been busy recruiting sponsors for the new season.
We are in the process of finalising a naming-rights sponsor for the ground as well as several ground improvement schemes including new net facilities and a new all-weather pitch as part of the square.
There is a vibrant feel to the club and it is heartening to see so many people getting involved in various activities while the revamped clubhouse, under the direction of Georgia Bradley is doing a roaring trade.
Carnforth hope to finalise the signing of a leading Westmorland League batsman shortly as well as confirming the return of a former opening bowler from another Northern League club.
But last season's leading wicket-taker Warren Quinn, winner of the Castle Award for 2009 has taken a position in London and may be restricted in his availability for the new season.
Lee Potter continues as Second XI captain.
Chris Miller has returned to play for Kendal |
Netherfield
Leg-spinner Marc Hadwin has taken over from Chris Parry as captain of Netherfield.
The popular Hadwin has played for the club since his teenage years and is a highly respected figure in Northern League circles. Parry will remain at the club and concentrate on his batting, looking to recapture his prolific form of 2008 after, by his standards, a disappointing season last year.
Netherfield CC will host Cumberland's MCCA Trophy tie against Cheshire on Sunday 23 May (11am).
Barrow
Cumberland batsman Darren Clark will return to Ernest Pass in 2010 after playing for Cleator last season. The highly-rated Clark was a member of Barrow's Twenty20 cup-winning side two years ago.
But teenaged all-rounder Liam Livingstone will miss the start of the season after breaking his arm on an England duty in India.
The 16-year-old Lancashire Academy all-rounder suffered the injury while representing the ECB Under-18s Development Programme team against Sri Lanka Under-18s in Bangalore in February.
Father Steve said: He is in a bit of pain, but the other side of it is that he has had a fantastic experience out there. The tour manager David Graveney said he had demonstrated that he had matured and they were really pleased with him, which makes it really disappointing they are losing him.
He said Liam had done himself the world of good out there. He's had sessions with Graham Gooch, Michael Vaughan and Rahul Dravid, so it has been a-once-in-a-lifetime experience and it is just a shame it has ended like this.
Barrow CC will stage Cumberland's three-day Minor Counties Championship game against Cambridgeshire starting on 18 July 2010.
Daryl Wearing will again captain the First XI and Phil Renney leads the seconds.
Kendal
Cumberland County off-spinner Chris Miller returns to Shap Road after two years at Netherfield. Miller famously took all ten wickets in Netherfield's game at Carnforth in 2008 on the club's way to the championship- one of only two players to achieve the feat in Northern League cricket, Morecambe pro Colin Hilton being the other.
Kendal's popular South African professional Ross McMillan has remained in the town over the winter and conducted coaching courses.
Lancaster
Former Middlesex 2nd XI player Michael Stevens will take over the Lancaster captaincy in 2010.
The highly-rated Stevens who spent the winter of 2008 playing in Australia has completed his university course at Lancaster but has now secured employment in the area.
Sri Lankan Roy Silva, Accrington's pro in 2008 and 2009 will be Lancaster's professional in 2010.
Morecambe
Graham Lee has left Morecambe CC after what he describes as 'eleven fantastic years.' The left arm bowler took 270 second division wickets at an average of 13.27 before moving up into the First XI for the last four seasons where he collected 114 wickets at an average of 18.20. The experienced Lee is thought to be considering a return to his former club Torrisholme in the Palace Shield.
South African all rounder Mandla Mashimbyi returns for a second season while Tommy Clough will again captain the First XI and chairman Nick Milner the seconds.
John Butler is finalising a new club history to be published later this year.
Preston
Preston chairman Younis Patel is moving ahead with ground improvements at West Cliff including a new electronic scoreboard.
Preston have confirmed that the popular Bilal Asad will return for a fifth year as professional and that Adam Parker will captain the side in 2010.
Moshin Patel will again captain the Second XI.
After a shoulder injury restricted his effectiveness last season top all-rounder Lukman Vahaluwala is reported to be in fine form in pre-season nets.
Darwen
Left-handed opening batsman John Cordingley replaces Andrew Cook as Darwen captain for 2010. His brother Neil will also resume his Darwen career after sitting out most of the 2009 season due to family commitments.
Gary Jackson will again captain the Second XI.
Opening bowler Yakub Bhamji has been included in the Lancashire Academy squad.
New professional Mohammed Zaman Khan has joined the Darwen squad for preseason training.
The former Pakistan first-class cricketer has played for Cleckheaton and Crompton and is resident in this country, owning a restaurant in the Manchester area.
St Annes
'As you were' for the reigning champions with the bulk of the 2009-title winning side expected to return in 2010.
Andy Kellett continues as captain while wicketkeeper David Watson will again be Second XI skipper.
Left arm spinner Michael Baer may be restricted in his appearances due to work commitments but fellow slow left-armer Dinuka Hettiarachchi, the league's leading wicket-taker in 2009, will return to spearhead St Annes' defence of their title alongside the league's leading batsman Atiq Uz-Zaman.
Blackpool
Opening bowler Richard Gleeson who took 50 wickets last season has been furthering his cricket education in Australia over the winter.
Paul Danson will again captain the First XI and there are high hopes of new Sri Lankan pro Nimesh Perera.
Stanley Park will host Lancashire Second XI's trophy game against Warwickshire on 25 May and the three-day game against the same opposition commencing on 26 May.
Darren Clark is back at Ernest Pass |
