New Datchet Cricket Club captain desperate to win promotion this season
Sportsdesk • Published 10 May 2012 15:17
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DATCHET captain Tim Alldis is desperate for his side to get promoted from Thames Valley Division 2a this season.
They have been in the same division for nearly a decade and Alldis feels it is time to push the club on.
He said: "We've decided we're fed up of playing in Division 2a and we want to make a real push for getting out of it.
"We've attracted new sponsorship which we are putting toward developing the club and not paying an overseas player.
"There is a lot of excitement around the club at the moment, hopefully it is the start of a new era."
They will be boosted by the return of Tom Lambert, who played for Henley and Berkshire last year.
Datchet play Division Three champions British Airways in their first game of the season on Saturday (1pm).
Alldis commented: "We don't know anything about them. We are going to go there blind, we don't even know where their ground is.
"They have come up as champions of Division Three so we can't get any advice from anyone on how to play them."
Burnham CC
BURNHAM Cricket Club captain Shaid Nadeem admits his side are under prepared for their first season in Home Counties Division One.
Burnham were promoted after winning Home Counties Division Two West and are aiming to stay in the division at the first time of asking, but the recent downpours have restricted their preparations.
Nadeem said: "We've been totally hampered. We've only had one friendly against Slough about a month ago.
"We are going into the season totally blind."
However, he added: "We'll go out and enjoy our cricket and see where it takes us.
"We're not thinking too much about it but the main aim is to stay up."
Burnham have a new left arm spinner and a young quick bowler while standout overseas player Aftab Khan returns for another season.
This Saturday (10.30am) they are due to host Oxford, who finished mid table last season, but Nadeem fears the fixture could fall foul of the weather.
"The forecast is not good, it's touch and go," he said.
"I don't think we are going to have much chance [of play] to be honest."
Slough CC
BOBBY Sher believes Slough Cricket Club will be in the mix to win Home Counties Division Two West this season.
Slough were pipped to the title by Burnham last year but Sher is confident that if the team play to their potential they can go all the way this season.
Like many sides in the division, rain has hampered their preparations with three of their friendlies being cancelled.
Weather permitting, they begin the campaign with a trip to Aston Rowant this Saturday (10.30am).
Regarding their title challenge, Sher said: "I'm looking for big performances and for the players to stamp their mark.
"If we perform like we know we can we are going to be there or there abouts.
"We'll find out when we're four or five games in."
He added: ""We'll take it game by game but I don't really see any easy ones in this division.
"It's important that the guys give 100% per cent, enjoy themselves, and keep working away as we did last year."
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