Ashbourne’s task to hit back from drop
THERE is a positive feel around Ashbourne Cricket Club as they prepare to try to bounce back from the first team’s relegation from Division Five South last season.
That was the highest the team had competed in the present Derbyshire County Cricket League structure since 2009 and their first season at that level, in 2020, was rendered non-competitive by the pandemic.
This season Ashbourne will be fielding a third team with a view to giving their junior players regular cricket and they have been placed in a different division to the seconds but still at Division Nine level.
A recruitment drive and strong winter training programmes will hopefully ensure good competition for places in the first and second teams, while the completed new pavilion at the Rec promises to provide a welcome base.
“We have had a really strong pre-season compared to the last couple of years, which were disrupted by Covid, “said club chairman Marcus Bateman.
“In 2020, our indoor training was cut short due to lockdown, followed by a short non-competitive season.
“In 2021, we couldn’t hold any indoor training due to the restrictions.
“This year, however, we have had a full programme with our seniors and juniors having two hours of coaching a week since the start of January.
“We employed Derbyshire’s Anuj Dal again for our senior training and I can certainly say that I have seen considerable improvements in the technique of all of our players a result.
“It’s great, too, that Anuj has had such a good start to his own season.
“We have signed 10 new senior players and 11 of our juniors are now newly-registered to play senior cricket, having come through the ranks.
“New signings include former Alvaston & Boulton opener Abhi Bidari and the four Alam brothers from Chellaston and Rosehill Methodists.
“We are fielding a third team for the first time with the aim of developing our younger players into regular senior players of the future.
“They will be led by Andy Macdonald and Steve Turner (who has come from Poplars in the Notts League) and they will be playing home fixtures at Abbotsholme School.
“The firsts and seconds are looking forward to using the new pavilion facilities.
“We hope that there will be a great atmosphere at the ground on match days with supporters being able to enjoy a drink while watching the cricket.”
Seam bowler Charith De Silva is continuing as first team captain, while Paul Duke will take over the captaincy of the seconds from club stalwart Andy Hill.
Beyond that, Ashbourne will have under-nines playing festival tournaments, and under-11s playing hard ball and semi-hard ball, while there are also also under-12 and under-15 teams.
For younger players (reception to school year three), the club’s All Stars programme starts in May, with bookings to be found via https://ecb. clubspark.uk/allstars/at/ Ashbourne.
A women’s team, established in 2021, will be competing in festival tournaments over the summer, including hosting one at the Rec on Sunday, June 12.
Junior training will be on Thursdays from 4-6pm and seniors Thursdays 6pm to dusk.
The first team have plenty of nearby competition as they return to Division Six South, with Clifton seconds, Kirk Langley, Mugginton and Draycott & Hanbury all in the same division.
And they get started on Saturday with the shortest of trips to take on Clifton at Chapel Lane with a 12.30pm start.
The seconds get first use of the new pavilion with a home game against Lullington Park fourths (1pm) in Division Nine South West.
The thirds make their bow in Division Nine Central South away to Quarndon fourths (1pm).