2022 YCSPL preview - part IV
Posted on 15th April 2022 at 18:47
Having just avoided relegation last season, Sprotbrough will be looking for a mid-table position in the Championship in 2022. Barbadian all-rounder Sadrian Ward is the overseas player and Robert Edmundson joins from Brandesburton CC. One to watch is Dan Wright, a very talented 19-year old who has come through the junior set-up at the club and is very capable with both bat and ball. The second XI are looking for promotion to Division 2 to enable them to play 50-over cricket, whilst the club as a whole aim to continue developing young players and help them bridge the gap from junior to senior cricket.
Newcomers Stocksbridge are looking for their first team to be very competitive and challenging at the top of the division. Two to watch are Jack Newton, who is a forceful bat who has scored heavily over the last few seasons, and Liam Grayson, who is a talented all-rounder with plenty of variation as a bowler and is a very destructive batter. In general, the club has a strong bowling unit that should stand them in good stead in Division 4. The second team should consolidate and perhaps challenge for promotion from Division 8.
The Thorncliffe and Wentworth clubs have merged to form Thorncliffe & Wentworth CC. Thorncliffe were struggling to put out two sides and Wentworth no longer had enough players to be viable, so the merger made sense for both. The first team will play at Thorncliffe and the seconds at Wentworth.
After finishing mid-table in Division 2 last season, Thorpe Hesley & High Green will hope to challenge in the top four this year. Tiger Dalby continues as first team captain after finishing last season as skipper; he finished third in the divisional batting averages last season and will be key to his side’s success. The club welcome West Indian overseas Mateo Boulogne to the club to provide another bowling option; and hope that talented batsman James Martin can play as many games as possible. Chris Fisher, Iain McDonald and Matt Green are stand-out names in the second team; whilst the club hope that Harry & Charlie Taylor will fulfil their clear potential. Junior development remains a top target; there is a growing junior section and there will hopefully be more All Stars than the previous season.
Tickhill have signed batsman Connor Fisher from Houghton Main and all-rounder James Stuart from Doncaster Town, whilst talented wicket-keeper/batsman Jordan Lowe is back playing with the club. South African fast-medium bowling all-rounder Tian Koekemoer has joined as the club’s overseas player. The aim is to build on last season’s eighth-place finish and push for a top four spot.
Treeton have consistently been in the top four of the Premier since 2017 and will undoubtedly be challenging for honours again. They have made some good signings in Charlie Bourne from Hallam, Zeeshan Karamat from Cawthorne and Suyan Sayed from Loughton; whilst Jack Simmonite will return for Sam Drury’s side after a year out last season. The second team should bounce back from their disappointing relegation in 2021 and aim to challenge for promotion from Division 2. Matt Lambert was the top run-scorer in Division 1 last year, whilst all-rounder Ben Birtles was a first team regular for a number of years – they should provide inspiration and leadership for the younger players in the second XI.
Two newcomers at Wakefield Thornes are Mayank Dagar, a slow left-arm bowling all-rounder from India, as overseas player, and all-rounder Matthew Varley, who returns to the club after a few seasons playing in the Bradford League. Most of the rest of the Premier Division team are already well known, having been with Thornes since the inception of the YSPL in 2016. Three highly-talented young players that the club hopes will make their mark in senior cricket over the next season or so are Yorkshire age group trio of off-spinning all-rounder Jawad Akhtar, seamer Arsh Gupta and slow left-armer Joshua Hen Boisen, who should be knocking on the door of first team cricket this season. The Donnachie duo – seam bowler James and opening batter Kieran have both tasted first team cricket in the last couple of seasons and both will again be keen to develop and progress still further. The club will hope that the second XI will maintain their Division 1 place to help develop the club’s young talent at a good standard.
After a disappointing season last year, Warmsworth are targeting the Division 1 title. Their injured players should be back and Thomas Whittaker has joined from Barnsley. Jake Marshall is expected to have an outstanding season with the ball, building on the experience he gained last year, whilst the batting order has plenty of experience and runs under the belt.
Bradley Williams is again the overseas player at Wath in 2022, having been outstanding after arriving in June last season, and the club hope that his availability for the full season can be the catalyst for a promotion-winning campaign in the Championship. Jack Whitlam also had a very good season in 2021 and the club hope he can continue his progress. Luke Bullingham joins from Cawthorne, Steven Honeyman Jnr from Barnsley and Jordan Shutt from Treeton. ‘Mr Reliable’ Jocky Wilson continues to excel for the second team and his experience is vital to guide the club’s younger players.
The target for the first team at Whiston Forge is to consolidate after promotion to Division 4 and for the second XI to continue to develop the younger players and finish the season towards the right end of the table. For the first XI, Kristian Lee Green was superb with the bat last year and Steve Cowles is due some big runs; whilst Mark Traquair, Matt Beavers and Josh Cooke, three of nine signings from the unfortunately now-defunct Kilnhurst Colliery, looked sharp with the ball during the winter training. For the second team, David Foote has been looking solid with the bat, whilst Calvin Dunn, Connor MacLeod & Billy Cullumbine look raring to go with the ball.
Consolidation in the Premier Division will be the priority at Whiston Parish Church. Overseas player Pakistani all-rounder Aamir Jamal is looking forward to getting back into the Premier Division, whilst much is expected of younger players Harry Paver, Joe Norbury and Alex Roebuck. As a club, WPCCC aim to continue to provide cricket for all, running All Stars, Dynamos and the successful womens’ and girls’ section, and develop the young players in the senior sides.
First team captain James Moorhouse, who missed the 2021 season with injury, will return for Whitley Hall, for whom all three teams will be pushing to finish as high up the table as possible – which will be a particular challenge for the third XI after their promotion to Division 6 this season. Tim Smith has joined from Worksop and William Turner from Upper Haugh, whilst the club hope to have Australian overseas player Benjamin Tracey available.
Wickersley Old Village target an immediate return to the Premier Division with the second team pushing for promotion from Division 2. Gareth Purshouse continues as first team captain, and will welcome a number of new faces, including Oliver Blackburn from Elsecar, Hamzah Ilyas from Oughtibridge, and the returning Mark Cummins from Tickhill. Six players from Thorncliffe & Wentworth have also joined the club, and will strengthen the second team. The third team will have a stronger emphasis on youth development and there is no expectation other than that they improve their skills.
Wombwell Main will start their Division 5 campaign in good heart. With a mixture of youth and experience in their side, they will target at least a mid-table finish. In addition to the more familiar names, the club has high hopes for youngster Joe Armitage, who started to really show how good he could be towards the end of last year.
Double promotion is the target for the senior sides at Worsbrough Bridge this season. The club believe they have one of the best opening bowling pairs outside the Championship in Liam Levitt and Liam Hague, and hope they will spearhead a promotion bid to bounce back into Division 2, backed up by a batting order that is strengthening each year. The second XI were relegated in the restructuring last year, but the club believe that they have the strength to regain their place in Division 7. Alec Grange has joined the club from Kexborough. The development of the womens’ softball team has been very successful and the club seek to build on this in 2022.
Share this post:
