Ambitious sides prepare for first games of Worcestershire league

Brockhampton

Brockhampton launch their 2022 premier campaign on Saturday away at newly promoted Droitwich Spa. This year the team will be led by Tom Austwick, who has come through the club youth setup. The club are focussing on a successful season towards the top of the table and have bolstered their squad this year.

Charl Van Den Heever will be this year’s overseas player – an attacking right handed batsmen who bowls useful off-spin. The club also welcome Sam Johnston from local club Burghill, Tillington & Weobley to improve their batting options. Another signing is young talent Indy Jerram who found some useful form last year for Herefordshire 2nd XI – this will be his breakthrough year in the 1st XI.

The second XI will again be led by Ed Keen. Key players to watch out for will be the evergreen Glyn Harrhy and young talent Iolo Bubb.

This year both the 3rd & 4th XI’s have also entered the Worcester League and will be led by Ben DaCunha and Stephen Hunt respectively. Players to watch will be Robin Holgate in the 3s and Stephen Hunt in the 4th XI who hopes to continue his successful stats with the bat.

The winter academy focussed on developing older age youth players who will be entering senior cricket, with training undertaken by Herefordshire County Coaches Richard Skyrme & Matt Veale.

The sessions were sponsored by Ady Watts Personal Training, Strength & Conditioning & Partners& Insurance Brokers.  Following the success the club will be looking to launch additional sessions next winter for different age groups.

Bromyard

Bromyard Cricket Club's 2022 campaign begins this week with the 1st and 2nd XIs’ league seasons starting on Saturday, 16th April.

The 1st XI will be under new skipper John Parker, with George Bouston acting as his deputy. Having been promoted as champions of Worcestershire County League Division 1 after the 2019 season, the 1st XI re-established themselves in the top flight of the Worcestershire League, now known as the Premier Division, last season with a creditable 7th place finish, and will be boosted by the arrival next week of 18-year-old Australian seamer Ryan McCarron, who will be the club's overseas player.

The 2nd XI will once again play in WCL Division 6 after finishing in 6th place last year, and will be led by Mike Reece, who previously took charge of the 2nds from 2016-2019, with his younger brothed Ed acting as vice-captain.

The 3rd XI have been promoted having won their regional division last season, and will again be led by Jordan Tomkins with support from vice-captain Dean Corbett, and they will compete in the new WCL Division 9 South, with 8 Herefordshire derbies out of their 18 league fixtures, against Bosbury, Brockhampton 3rd XI, Colwall 3rd XI, and Eastnor 2nd XI.

In addition the Sunday XI will be in action once again with 9 fixtures over the course of the season, and will be led by Edd Oliver, the Surrey Optimists will visit for a tour match on Monday 25th July after the resumption of the long-standing fixture last season, and the Evening League side will look to repeat their cup winning success of 2021, again playing in the Worcester Evening League under skipper Will Yarnold.

Bromyard CC will once again be running ECB ‘All Stars’ sessions for Under 9s, beginning in June, as well as junior training for young cricketers aged between 9 and 16, starting on Thursday 12th May from 6.00-7.30, and running for 12 weeks. The Under 11s (Sunday mornings) and Under 15s (Thursday nights) will also be competing in the Herefordshire Junior Leagues. For more information about Bromyard junior cricket please contact the junior co-ordinator Edd Oliver at eddoliver@bluetiehome.com or on 07812 385337.

Off the field Chairman Luke Johnston continues to steer the BCC ship, while Graham Godsall (vice chairman), Sue Reece (club secretary and treasurer), Jeff Bayliss (head groundsman), and the rest of the committee will continue in their previous roles. BCC veteran Keith Styles is the new Club Captain and will assist at training and with selection.

The club has again been successful in acquiring a number of new sponsors over the close season, and if you would like to get involved as a club, player or match ball sponsor and support local community sport please contact Luke Johnston at LukeJohnston@asprisCS.co.uk or on 07377 544101. Meanwhile the artificial nets project is very close to fruition after some hard work behind the scenes, and the new two-lane net facility at Flaggoners Green should be ready for use from the end of this month.

Colwall

After finishing seventh last season Colwall will be hoping to avoid any relegation battle this time around.

The club will be hoping for a successful campaign to celebrate their 150th anniversary.

During the winter the club announced Rob Cook as their head cricket coach.

Bartestree and Lugwardine CC

Having gained promotion Bartestree and Lugwardine CC 1st XI start the new season and the club's 25th anniversary year in Division 2 of the Worcestershire County League. Captain and all-rounder Ryan Trattell will lead from the front, aiming to build on his top-of-the division 40 wickets and over 500 runs last season. Ryan said “We have a very strong squad this season, with all last year’s team being available plus some newcomers. Indoor training has been enthusiastic over the last 6 weeks and the lads can’t wait for the first ball this Saturday.” The team has built a very strong competitive ethos and spirit of mutual support in recent years.

The 2nd XI continue in Division 7, with a new captain, Chris Tulacz taking over. A number of new players will be competing for places, along with youngsters coming up through the B&L youth section and the 3rd XI, who play in the Marches League. Both teams start the season with local derby matches against our friends and rivals from Burghill.

Groundsman Graham Jones and his team of helpers reckon that the wicket is probably the best that they have produced to date and should produce some excellent matches throughout the season. The facilities at Bartestree continue to improve and expand. Following installation of the electronic scoreboard last season and acquisition of a new bowling machine, this season will see new spectator facilities, an enlarged machinery store and a new heavy roller. A strengthened focus on developing Women and Girls' cricket will centre around a girls-only Dynamos programme, starting in May.

Burghill, Tillington and Weobley

An opening day Herefordshire derby sees Bartestree host Burghill, Tillington and Weobley.

Burghill firsts were relegated from Division One last season and will be hoping for a more successful season in 2022.