BURGHILL and Tillington Cricket Club have snapped up three new players for their debut season in the Worcestershire County League Division One.

Former Kington skipper Ben George, ex-Brockhampton batsman Sam Charles and 19-year-old New Zealand all-rounder Hamish Cooke have joined the Herefordshire club.

Club stalwart Neil Box says he is delighted with the new signings as Burghill look to make their mark in the top-flight.

“It will be a big challenge for us but we will give it a good go,” said Box. Mark Preece will be skippering the first-team this season.

“All-rounder Hamish Cooke will join the club in early April as our new overseas player,” said Box.

“Hamish is an exciting prospect and we are delighted to have secured the deal for a promising left-arm seamer and right-handed middle-order batsman. “Hamish hails from the south of New Zealand and plays club cricket for Metro Tigers in Invercargill.

“He has been a regular member of the Southland Hawke Cup team, often opening the attack.”

Last summer, the Kiwi played for Matfen in Northumberland, scoring 425 runs at 42.5 and bagging 16 wickets at 16.63.

Box added: “At the age of 16, Hamish was named Southland cricketer of the year and has also gained honours for Otago at U18 and U23 levels.”

Cooke is a Level one coach and will help with Burghill’s youth development team and manage the under-13 squad.

Burghill will be running six pre-season training sessions, starting at Hereford Academy on Sunday, February 24, from 6pm to 8pm.

For more details, e-mail: bandtcc@hotmail.co.uk