Following a very successful 2021 and getting promoted to the E Division East, 2022 was a difficult year for the 3rd team.

A step up in the standard of cricket, coupled with lack of availability, played a huge part in JT’s ability to field competitive sides week in week out, indeed just getting 11 players on the field was a remarkable achievement on many occasions. Arms had to be twisted and favours called in to coax a few ‘veterans’ out of temporary retirement and a few parents into playing instead of relaxing watching the cricket. JT and Phil have now decided to step down as Captain and Vice-Captain respectively after their successful period at the helm and we are very grateful for their achievements with the team. As a result of this myself and Richard Clarke are going to share the captaincy for the coming year. We both have many years’ experience of playing for the club, Clarkey as a batsmen and myself as a bowler. Hopefully our balance of knowledge and skills with bat and ball will blend together on the field. I would like to pass on a massive thanks to JT and Phil, they both worked so hard for the club in the face of tricky circumstances last year.

2023 sees the third team return to F Division East and presents us with an opportunity to rebuild the team and give more of our colts the opportunity to develop their games. One undisputed highlight of last year’s cricket was the emergence of Ruby Davis, her runs and overall play quite rightly saw her being named the 3rd XI player of the year and being awarded the Tom Allin Trophy for the Best Emerging Player across the club. She has subsequently been selected for the Western Storm development squad and we wish her the best of luck there. We hope to see her further develop during the coming season, but Greeny may be nabbing her for some 2nd XI cricket too!

Clarkey and I hope to bring both the colts we have coming through and our more experienced cricketers together to a successful and enjoyable 2023 season.

Simon and Rich