Broad Oak Cricket Club are preparing for a tough test as they get their season underway at home to defending champions Moorlands.
The home side finished last season in 7th out of a possible 14th, winning only 9 of 22 matches. Their opponents, however, lost just once last season.
Despite this, club secretary Daniel Rushworth, is confident his team have what it takes – even though he knows it will be tough.
“It doesn’t get any harder than the league champions. They’re a top side, Eddie’s a great captain. We’ve had a few changes in personnel from last year. So, it’s a really good test for us to match up against the best team in the league and I know those guys will be up for it having beaten them in the Sykes Cup final last year.”
Saturday and Sunday this weekend because we’ve got them in the Sykes Cup first round [and the league]. It’s a tough opening weekend for us, but it’s something we’re really looking forward to.
Broad Oak’s pre-season preparations have been halted however, due to poor conditions over the off-season. However, Rushworth told us the team would not let that get in the way of preparations.
“I think the weather will have affected us as much as it has everybody else. It’s just rained and rained all winter and I feel sorry for the ground staff. But yeah, we’ve done as much as we can. We’ve had some winter nets and the weather’s got a bit brighter in the last couple of weeks. So, we’ve been out in the nets and stuff. It’s just one of them it hasn’t felt like cricket season with the season starting so late and it’s just one of them. We’ve just tried to do the best we can with his preparations.”
The season kicks off on Saturday 4th May at Cowersley Lane at 12:30.