Captain Woodhead starts his 21st season as first team player
Tommy Clough was Morecambe's player of the Year in 2010
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Expecting his first child during the summer it is sure to be a hectic few months for Mark Woodhead as he enjoys his second stint as club captain, in his 21st season as a first-team player.
"We welcome two new faces to the first team this season, Danny Welbourne, from Lancaster and Josh Dixon from Heysham. Josh has decided to make the jump to the Northern League and we are delighted he is joining Morecambe," said the Captain.
"We have only lost one player over the winter, Graeme Cassidy. He has left us to play at Heysham, due to work commitments. He was especially effective in cup matches and the Twenty20 competition where he has been one of our most consistent performers in recent seasons."
Pakistani fast bowler Anwar Ali will replace the retired Mandla Mashimbyi as the club's professional for the forthcoming season. He is 22-years-old and was born in Karachi. Anwar played for Colne in the Lancashire League in 2009 and 2010. In his first season he scored 371 runs for Colne collected 76 wickets. In 2010 he scored 516 runs and took 57 wickets.
"As a priority we were looking at a strike bowler for next season and Anwar fits the bill," Woodhead explained. "We have done our research and he comes highly recommended by players that have played with him and against him. He already has two years' experience playing in league conditions and we are looking forward to seeing him in action for Morecambe. Phil Dennison has been in constant touch with him all winter following his progress and now his own successful domestic season is over he can't wait to get here."
Woodhead also has high hopes of Josh Dixon. "I met Josh several times over the winter to talk about him leaving Heysham, having scored very heavily in the Westmorland League for them over the last couple of seasons," he explained. "It was made even harder for him as he was also captain and had played there all his life. I know how hard a decision it was for him to make, but the lure of playing a much higher standard helped convince him he was doing the right thing for his career. I am keen to start him at the top of the order, as like myself, that is his preferred position.
"Danny is also going to add some experience to our batting, we already have a good number of youngsters and Danny is just the man you want going in towards the end of the innings to grind out those extra few runs. He is a well travelled cricketer and his career statistics probably do him a disservice as he has been up and down the batting order wherever he has played.
"Phil Thornton is hoping to be available a lot more this season which will be a real bonus for the club. I've played most of my career with Phil and he is feared and respected by every opponent. He is still one of the most destructible batsmen in the league and showed that when he turned out for us in the occasional game last season.
"Phil Dennison, like myself and Phil Thornton has over 7000 league runs to his name and is still one of the most consistent players in the league. He is a batsman that has sacrificed his own performances for that of the team over the recent years and is willing to bat anywhere he is asked to in the top seven. His two centuries in cup matches over the last couple of years shows he still has the talent, and he's also our best slip fielder too."
Woodhead is also hoping that Chris Williams continues the fine progress he made last season after joining the club from Silverdale. "Chris was a real find for us last year, with bat and ball," he said. "Making the move form Silverdale after dominating the Westmorland League averages Chris soon settled in at Morecambe. He had a phenomenal first half of the season with bat last season and showed us what he can do with the ball in the second half. We are confident of more of the same from him this year as he has made the number four spot his own.
"Ryan Smith also continues to improve at this level season after season. He broke into the side at just 16 and is a real talent as his performances for Lancashire Association Under 19's showed last season. He has opened the bowling and batted as high as no.3 for Morecambe, but to be fair neither Ryan nor I know what his best position in the team is. There is no doubting his talent and maybe this will be his breakthrough season, when he fulfils his potential and goes on to dominate the opposition with bat and ball.
"Alex Thistlethwaite is a captain's dream. He came to us from Warton as a promising junior batsman three seasons ago and like Ryan, so far has had limited opportunities. He has an infectious enthusiasm though and a maturity far beyond his years. He is gaining experience in the lower middle order of the team and it is hoped to bat him up the order at some points of this season. When he has been given chances in the past he has very rarely let the side down, the highlight being his maiden 1st XI 50 last season against Preston.
"Ikram Ullah is hoping to continue the form he found in the second half of last season. For such a talented batsman he struggled early last year finding all manner of ways to get out whilst scoring heavily playing for Cumberland. Eventually he had a turn around in fortune and enjoyed several flourishing innings as the season grew to an end. He is also an able deputy behind the stumps to Lewis Edge.
"Lewis Edge is without doubt the best wicketkeeper I have played with. His reflexes stood up to the wicket are second to none, taking many a ball he has no right to. He is also a more than useful batsman who oozes natural talent. His positive batting style is ideally suited to add impetus to the end of the innings and only Phil Thornton in the team can hit a bowl as clean as he can.
"Richard "Reg" Cupid was a real find for the team last year. After returning from his sabbatical at Heysham he was opening the bowling for us half way through the season. This was due to his consistent performances week in week out. He's not the type of bowler that's going to knock you over but his accurate line and length will grind a batsman down forcing them to take risks. I'm really pleased for Reg because he left the club originally due to lack of opportunities but really showed his worth last season when given the chance.
"Tom Clough was rightly given our "player of the season" award last year as his bowling won many a match for us. He is an off spin bowler by trade, but gets as many wickets by not turning the ball at all! He has lived in the shadows of other slow bowlers the team has employed over the years but last year, when given the role as the teams only slow bowler he didn't let the side down. As chairman of cricket and junior coach he, like his father before him, lives and breathes Morecambe Cricket Club and it is so good to see him playing such a pivotal role in the side now too.
"Because of all our cup commitments, work schedules and babies we need plenty of back up and It's reassuring to know we have guys in the 2nd XI we can call upon when necessary. Gert Maartens, Ian Izatt and Ryan Pearson all turned out for us last season performing admirably and never letting the side down.
"I'm very grateful to the cricket committee for giving me the opportunity to captain the side. My late father was always my biggest fan and I'm sure he'll be looking down on me as proud as ever as I stride out for that first game of the season.
"I know when I look round the changing room prior to the first game of the season I'll see ten talented team mates who are right behind me and willing to give their all for the club. If we can get our strongest team out regularly and Anwar settles quickly Morecambe could be a real force this season".
Morecambe celebrate their last ball win at Darwen in 2010
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