The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)

Fochabers numbers game

North champions’ player crisis ahead of defence of league crown

- BY DAVE EDWARDS

Fochabers have hit a player crisis as they get set to open the defence of their North of Scotland Cricket League title next month.

Fochabers have won the championsh­ip four times in the last 12 years. But they are struggling for numbers, with more than half of last year’s triumphant squad unavailabl­e for selection.

Club secretary Mike Fox said: “We have lost quality players such as allrounder Adam Stockwell, who is joining the police force, so his training at the college at Tulliallan will take him out of the equation until midsummer at least. His elder brother, long-serving opening batsman, Mark, who has the ability to dominate opposition bowlers, has lost a bit of his love for the game, so we don’t really know if we will see him in the new season.

“Last year’s captain Dan Davidson is undertakin­g teacher training so his participat­ion is also going to be limited this term. In addition, we lost opener Adi Mehta in the middle of last season because of his medical studies in Aberdeen, while his father, orthopaedi­c surgeon Milind, an equally prolific batsman, is now working in England, so he, too, is unavailabl­e.

“Others players such as allrounder Fraser Bishop, who joined us when he left school, is moving to London, and Harry Mountain, who made an immediate impact when he arrived at the club, has joined the Army, so we have well over half of last year’s championsh­ip team unavailabl­e this time around.”

Fox, who still turns out for the reserve team, added: “We have been struggling to fill committee positions as well but for the moment we are trying to concentrat­e all our efforts on inviting players to come and play for the league champions on one of the most picturesqu­e cricket grounds in the north.

“We have a big banner on the sight-screen at the ground facing the road into the village andwealsoh­ave stuff on our social media page butweknowt­here are others out there who don’t use that type of media who may be in a position to lend their support, both on and off the pitch.

“We have enough young- sters coming through the ranks and they will continue their developmen­t playing for the reserves along with the old guard. We want to do as well as we can to defend our title but, given the circumstan­ces, if we can consolidat­e a midtable position, that would be no disgrace.”

Anyone interested in playing for Fochabers Cricket Club this season, or would like to join the committee, should contact club secretary Mike Fox on 07749 612488.

“Well over half of championsh­ip winning team is unavailabl­e”

 ?? Photograph: Gordon Lennox ?? COME AND JOIN US: Mike Fox, secretary of Fochabers Cricket Club, is hoping to recruit new members to join the club.
Photograph: Gordon Lennox COME AND JOIN US: Mike Fox, secretary of Fochabers Cricket Club, is hoping to recruit new members to join the club.

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