High hopes for new pro Barends
County batsman Marc Brown joins Netherfield from Carlisle
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It's all change at Netherfield with a new professional and a top-rated county batsman joining the club but several stalwarts of the club having retired or moved on.
Chris Parry takes over again as Netherfield captain and is looking forward to his side challenging on all fronts in 2011.
Netherfield lifted the Latham Baxendale Twenty20 Cup in 2010 but the 2008 champions trailed in a disappointing eighth in the Furness Building Society Northern Premier Cricket League (incorporating Readers Cricket Balls).
Opening batsman Craig Walmsley has retired after a distinguished 20-year Netherfield career that saw him hit 5,716 league runs and six centuries while opening bowler Ryan Wilson is likely to be ruled out for the season with a broken collarbone.
Scott Clement, for so long the stalwart opening bowler for Netherfield will begin a second season as professional with Appleby Eden in the North Lancashire & Cumbria League.
But Netherfield have recruited an exciting young South African all rounder Brady Barends as professional. Barends replaces Nick Kruger who has been a heavy runs-scorer for Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield in recent weeks.
And Cumberland CCC batsman Marc Brown, a heavy scorer for Carlisle CC in the North Lancashire League will have his first taste of Northern League cricket.
Barends, who took nine wickets in an innings for KwaZulu Natal Inland (9/68 against Northerns) earlier this season, only the sixth player to achieve the feat in South African first-class history, is a fast medium bowler with a big future ahead.
"It's exciting to get a bowling pro," says Parry. "Brady is only 22 and comes recommended from our former pro Dale Benkenstein who rates him as a potential future international player. He's an exciting player and he can bat a bit as well so it will be great to have him at the club. You never know when you sign an international player whether they'll get called away but hopefully Brady will get in a full season.
"Marc is a talented young batsman who has already made the county side and has been the leading batsman for Carlisle for the last few seasons. He's been playing out in Australia with Alex Atkinson and will be looking to further his career with the aim of pushing towards maybe Lancashire selection. It's a big step-up coming into the Northern League but hopefully he'll soon adapt to the challenge."
Talented teenagers Alex Atkinson and John Huck will continue to provide the batting strength boosted by Ben Haddrick's growing maturity as a destructive middle order batsman.
Atkinson scored his first Minor Counties hundred for Cumberland in 2010 while Haddrick's explosive innings of 119 at Chorley was one of the highlights of the season.
"Alex and John will hopefully continue their progress while Ben is another player whom I'm sure will do well," Parry says. "Each year he's getting better and since Grahame Clarke retired he's really taken over the mantle."
On the bowling front Marc Hadwin, who last season achieved the notable feat of taking his 500th Northern League Division One wicket will provide the backbone alongside the indefatigable Stuart 'Nabby' Nixon.
"Marc's feat was really something and went virtually unnoticed at the time," says Parry. "He's been a brilliant servant to Netherfield cricket over a long period and there are a lot more overs left in him. Nabby is probably the keenest man in our squad and has already been working really hard at the nets several times a week."
Shane Dixon takes over as Second XI captain. "Shane will be a popular appointment," Parry adds. "He knows a lot of players around the area and will be looking to attract some new players to the club. We've already had several new players turning up at nets which is a really good thing, including John Mason, who played for the club back in 2002 and has returned to the area after working down south.
"Realistically we aim to challenge for the title. If the pro is as good as we think he is there's no reason why we shouldn't be in contention. We bat down well to seven or eight and have good bowling options. There's no reason why we shouldn't be up there."
Alex Atkinson has been wintering in Australia
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