Nicholls targets performances

Published 23 Apr 2010 16:30 0 Comments

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Wes Nicholls

Cricket

LAST season Windsor Cricket Club's Saturday first XI were outstanding when winning Division 2a of the Thames Valley Cricket League and earning promotion.

The club also introduced an incredible 38 new players at senior level, most of whom where promoted from the junior section.

As a result, senior figures at the club, chairman James Jordan and captain Wes Nicholls have set their sights on steady progression and consistencey to prove that last summer's success was not a one-off, and ensure they are in a position to challenge for honours this summer.

Mr Jordan said: "I'd like to see our first team do well in their first year in division one. I don't expect them to come top, and I hope they don't get demoted, but I'd like to see them hold firm in the middle."

First team captain, Nicholls added: "I don't care if we get relegated. I don't care if we win the competition. The focus isn't going to change at all from last year which is the group of players in the first team have to play good cricket.

"I am more worried about our performance rather than where we finish on the ladder and that's something we did last year. We didn't care about winning the league or anything like that, we cared about going out and a doing the simple things right and learning how to play good cricket. We were able to do that and the league position justified that way of thinking.

"In divison one we don't really know what to expect. We have only got two blokes in our squad that have played there in the last few years, so it's a new experience for all of us."

Although playing in divison one for the first time will be a learning experience for his players, Nicholls believes being consistent could provide the improvement needed for the team to remain at the top of the league pyramid.

He said: "You can be consistently bad so I want everyone to play to their full potential. I think on last year we've probably got at the very least a 30 per cent improvement in us. We can be a 100 per cent better cricket team but the guys need to train hard and put those practice sessions into place on a Saturday afternoon. The talent we have got in the side is ridiculous. We have got a lot of talent but it's a case of actually implying that consistently and being able to perform."

Windsor could also call upon an array of young talent this summer as the Colts continue to produce players capable of competing at a high senior standard.

Nicholls said: "We have ended up in the first division two years ahead of when I wanted to, and I guess I timed that with the younger guys being ready at that stage, but we will certainly give them the chance.

"Looking at the younger guys we have got Chris Gardner and George Gould. Those guys are first 11 players now. They are probably in the top six batsman we have at the club and they are 17 and 18 respectively. Those guys are going to be fine but it's those guys who are probably a little bit below that talent ability who will probably struggle a little bit in division one.

"We will probably be looking for those guys to really consolidate their spots in the second team and score runs."

Haarmeet Chana is another young talent to have broken through at senior level and although only 22, the opening batsmen will captain the Sunday team for the first time this season.

Reflecting on last summer's relegation from division one of the Sunday Thames & Chilterns Cricket League he said: "I was disappointed we got relegated but you have to understand the teams we played against had Australian Under-19s players and that sort of standard player playing for them, whereas we had 18 to 23 year olds who have all come through Windsor.

"In all the games we played, although we lost the vast majority of them, we didn't get hammered in any particular game. It was always quite respectable.

"In terms of young players, its has helped everyone a lot and you see how many young players we have got in the team now it should have been a really good experience for us. This year we expect to win, or get very close to winning the league that we are in."

Chana also indicated that they key to success this season is consistency. He said: "If we can get a consistent team out every week of guys that are really keen and enthusiastic, and have the ability to play in Saturday teams in the first and second XI, that would be fantastic.

"If we've got guys that are capable of playing in division one on a Saturday that would be brilliant and with that we will win games anyway. If we can get a group of seven or eight guys that are really young and become the future of Windsor CC in about four of five years at first team level that would be brilliant."

Consistency and steady progression are the key words this summer at Home Park, but the ambitious nature of everyone at the club ensures the chances of more silverwear being displayed on the clubhouse's new honours board at the close of play this summer is well within their capabillities.

This article appeared in Royal Borough Observer 23 Apr 10

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