Mekyle Pillay is all set to be‘major player’for team this season
Ferguslie Cricket Club is gearing up for the start of a new season – with activity increasing as the club shakes off nearly eight months of hibernation as they get ready for on-field events with Western Premiership One campaign looming into view.
“May the Fourth be with you” is perhaps an apt phrase applying to members and players at this time because on that date the club takes on Stirling County in a Western District Union Cricket match at Meikleriggs which will see them get underway after a busy close season.
Club president Tim PrestonJones, himself not long returned from appearing for the Rest of the World team in the Over-60s World Cup in India, commented: “Although it’s a long close season for everyone, there’s nevertheless been much to remember about the last eight months.
“As befitting a major club like ourselves preparing for the new season, the players have been taking part in weekly practice sessions at Hutcheson’s Grammar School in Glasgow as we’ll be hitting the ground running in a few weeks’ time with a series of warm-up games (if “warm-up” is a phrase you can apply to a Scottish spring).”
All pre-season fixtures will, however, be played away from home to allow improvement works to the Corsebar Road campus to take affect.
Tim added: “Because we’ve invested heavily in the pitch over the winter to remove a build-up of loam at either end of it, leaving the batting creases at a different level to the pitch and the bowler run ups, all of our pre-season friendly matches for both the first and second XIs will be played away from Meikleriggs in an effort give the new surface maximum opportunity to bed in.
“This is not an easy task when you have to contend with a Scottish winter.
“We’re grateful to our friends at All Grass for the considerable efforts they’ve put into giving us a first-class surface for 2024.”
The pre-season schedule is quite hectic, although the scheduled fixture away to Grange and this weekend’s clash with Heriot’s have unfortunately been postpooned.
Tim added: “We head for Dumfries on April 27 before commencing the competitive matches at home when Stirling County are the visitors on May 4, and the following day we are at home again to Falkland in the first round of the Scottish Cup, so it’s very much all systems go for us.
“The second XI, who this season will be known as ‘LMSD Meikleriggs’, are also in action as they are away to Titwood and Kilmarnock respectively on the weekend of April 27 and April 28 and we’re still trying to fix up other matches for them.
“We’re inviting other clubs to contact us if they’ve a free date and would like to meet up with them.”
Tim added: “We did, of course, have three Under-19 players in the shape of Bahadar Esakhiel, Qusim Khan and Uzair Ahmad away with the Scotland World Cup squad to South Africa during the early part of 2024.
“And with players like Taimoor Ahmad playing in the Scotland A team last year, we’re hopeful that the team can move to another level in the coming months as these players, and others, continue to develop in what is predominantly a young squad.”
The push to bring in new players is also continuing with training sessions planned.
Tim said: “In addition to the senior programme for three adult teams, we’ve also got a comprehensive coaching programme for people of all ages.
“Outdoor training for adults started on April 2 and will be held weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays from 6pm to 8pm.
“Junior training begins outdoors on April 18 and the All Stars Junior Training will commence on Tuesday, May 14, so we’re doing our very best to encourage any person with an interest in cricket to come along and experience the very best training in the area.
“Our current club captain, Haroon Tahir, is an example of a player coming through our system from a very young age to lead the club, and he’s a great example to hold up to youngsters as an illustration of what can be achieved by coming to Ferguslie Cricket Club.”
The Express revealed last week how Ferguslie Cricket Club have named Mekyle Pillay as their professional/coach for the upcoming 2024 season.
The club has high hopes for the South African all-rounder who has a strong track record on the field – both in his home country and more recently in England.
Tim added of Ferguslie’s new recruit: “He’s actually spent a few seasons already in minor league cricket in England, as well as training with various high calibre players such as Virat Kohli, the Proteas national team, and he has bowled to the England Test team in practice.
“So, we’re looking forward to seeing him in action.”