Division 6 preview
What lies in store in NSSCL Division Six this summer? There’s plenty of teams who will be fancying their chances. CHRIS TRAVERS takes a look at the 12 competing sides...
BURSLEM 2nd XI
Captain Alex Gilson will be pretty confident ahead of the 2021 action. A decent fourth-placed finish last term, while there could be some fresh faces making their way into the reckoning for selection. They have a nice blend of experience and youth at Festival Heights.
Ins: Kieran Harrison (Sandyford); Zen Malik (Blythe);
Joshua Rhodes (Bignall End); Andrew Hurd (Hem Heath); Philip Robins (Sandyford).
Outs: Adeel Khalid (Meir Heath).
Captain: Alex Gilson.
Prospects: Burslem will be aiming high and should feel as though they can replicate their 2020 finish.
CHURCH EATON
Romped to top spot last season with victories in all 11 matches. Suffice to say, that’s led to limited transfer activity in the winter, although Toby Horton has joined the club from Stafford.
Ins: Toby Horton (Stafford).
Outs: None.
Captain: Andrew Greaves.
Prospects: Church Eaton have certainly made their mark since joining the NSSCL. They have plenty of match-winners in their ranks, so it would be a surprise if they are not in the top two at the end of the campaign.
ENDON 2nd XI
Down in ninth place last year with four wins and five defeats from their fully completed matches.
Two arrivals and two departures at the club since a ball was last bowled in anger, but whether Kevin Cockerton and Jack Bourne feature at second-team level remains to be seen.
Ins: Kevin Cockerton (Knypersley); Jack Bourne (Bignall End).
Outs: Nick Buxton (Bagnall
Norton); Jordan Stanway (Hanford). Captain: Andy Hopwood. Prospects: Don’t appear to have enough to challenge the leading places, but should be capable of a cosy mid-table finish.
HANFORD 2nd XI
Mid-table last year and have added to their playing options over the winter.
Several of the new faces may be predominantly for the Stone League side, but if they do filter into Saturday cricket, that will enhance options.
Some talented players at Church Lane who can show off their skills.
Ins: Jordan Stanway (Endon); Abeed Akhtar (Kidsgrove); Adeel Mahmood (Kidsgrove); Zahir Ahmad (Moddershall & Oulton); Faisal Tahir (club member).
Outs: Anwar Hussain (Meir Heath).
Captain: TBC.
Prospects: Might just fancy a pop at breaking into the top four, but it’s more realistic to think anywhere around last summer’s seventhplaced finish is more realistic.
LEYCETT 2nd XI
Highs and lows for Leycett in 2020, but they have made a couple of moves which could hint at a season of promise for the seconds. Patrick Wilkes scored an abundance of runs for Betley, and his arrival at Park Terrace is a decent acquisition.
James Hopkin will be looking to lead from the front with some useful top-order runs.
Ins: Patrick Wilkes (Betley); Rajpal Beniwal (category 3); David Shirley (Sandyford).
Outs: Darren Walker (Onneley).
Captain: James Hopkin.
Prospects: Can they bid for a toptwo place? That may be beyond them over the 22 weeks, but have enough ability to certainly cement a top-half finish.
MODDERSHALL & OULTON 5th XI
The further you go down the Moddershall & Oulton food chain, the tougher it is to predict how their fortunes may pan out.
A host of departures further muddies the water, although developing juniors will be a key aspiration at this level.
Ins: Tharaka Jayawardane (Stafford); Robert Price (Stone SP); Kalinga Llyanage (Maritime).
Outs: Haroon Shah (Bignall End); Ali Shah (Bignall End); Monty Garratt (Blythe); Sebastian Garratt (Blythe); Emmerson Garratt (Blythe); Evan Bradford (Caverswall); Tom Moulton (Checkley);zahir Ahmad (Hanford); Daniel Jones (Hem Heath); Jack Jones (Hem Heath); Tim Twigg (Little Stoke); Mohammad Nadim (Little Stoke); Zahid Mahmood (Little Stoke); Aunn Shah (Sandyford); Mickey Chandler (Stone SP); Robert Bagnall (Wedgwood);
Ben Myatt (Wedgwood); Robert Price (Wood Lane).
Captain: Ian Stretton.
Prospects: It doesn’t really matter too much where the Modd men finish as they look to continue their player pathway. Should be capable of winning as many as they lose.
NORTON IN HALES 2nd XI
The quartet who have arrived from Kidsgrove should be eyeing up firstteam cricket, so that leaves players dropping into the seconds.
And that will leave skipper Matthew Lawrenson in a bullish mood as the countdown continues to the new campaign.
The club looks strong on paper at the moment, it’s now time to produce the results to back that up. Ins: Darren Long (Kidsgrove); Adeel Khalid (Kidsgrove); James Pringle (Kidsgrove); Anthony Sheeran (Kidsgrove); Ben Mike (category 2). Outs: None.
Captain: Matthew Lawrenson. Prospects: You can’t rule them out of a top-four bid - or even better - if they get the wind in their sails.
OAKAMOOR 2nd XI
A tight-knit unit finished in second place last year, but face another season at this level because promotion wasn’t in play.
A couple of the new faces could well start off in the seconds, which is a big boost for captain Dan James. There will be plenty of expectations, at least in-house, about what is to come.
Ins: Jonathan Clowes (Cheadle); Tom Gerrard (Blythe); Charlie Allcock (Checkley); Carl Allcock (Checkley).
Outs: Shea Moore (Wedgwood).
Captain: Dan James.
Prospects: Look stronger than last year, so watch out for them mounting another push to move up the league ladder.
SANDYFORD 2nd XI
Bottom of the pile last summer, but that owed a touch to player unavailability which decimated the seconds’ options.
Some fresh talent will be in the second-team squad this summer, which should increase optimism.
Ins: Joe Ward (Kidsgrove); Ryan Davis (Kidsgrove); Jake Taylor (Knypersley); Ben Bennett (Kidsgrove); Aunn Shah (Moddershall & Oulton); Muhammad Naveed (Milford Hall), Yasir Ali (Pakistan).
Outs: Kieran Harrison (Burslem); Philip Robins (Burslem); David Shirley (Leycett); Gareth Kinsey (Wedgwood).
Captain: Nick Rafferty.
Prospects: The summer should be better, but how they emerge from the starting blocks will dictate by how much.
STAFFORD 2nd XI
This could be interesting. Stafford find their seconds and thirds in the same division.
The seconds have always been competitive, so it will be intriguing to see how they fare this time round.
The inter-club derby could be one to watch.
Ins: Arif Muhammad (Mote); Dave Foster (Blackheath); Mohamedanas Patel (category 3).
Outs: Toby Horton (Church Eaton); Tharaka Jayawardane (Moddershall & Oulton); Charles Chivu (Silverdale).
Captain: Terry Jones.
Prospects: Will be confident that they can at least finish in mid-table at the end of the season.
STAFFORD 3rd XI
The pressure is perhaps off the thirds. Their main role will be to keep the conveyor belt of young players moving through.
There will be the presence of experience to guide them on their way as well.
And surely they wouldn’t mind the club bragging rights over the seconds?
Ins: Arif Muhammad (Mote); Dave Foster (Blackheath); Mohamedanas Patel (category 3).
Outs: Toby Horton (Church Eaton); Tharaka Jayawardane (Moddershall & Oulton); Charles Chivu (Silverdale).
Captain: Anthony Prinold.
Prospects: If they keep their heads above water, that’s a decent season for Stafford thirds.
WOOD LANE 2ND XI
Hopefully a full squad to choose from for Wood Lane this year.
It has been tough at times for them, but hopefully the enthusiasm and desire to get back to playing a full season of cricket will stand them in good stead.
Ins: Joel Brierley (Bignall End); Robert Price (Moddershall & Oulton); Sam Yorke (club member).
Outs: None.
Captain: TBC.
Prospects: Will be happy with anywhere in mid-table. Might need some early points on the board to achieve that, though.