Getting off to a good start could have ‘multiplier effect’ for Dean
Skipper Davis confident team are capable of competing for the TVL Division 1 title
Getting off to a good start could have a 'multiplier effect' on Cookham Dean's hopes of landing the Thames Valley League Division 1 title, however, captain Greg Davis is confident the club have put together a squad capable of doing just that this summer.
A seventh’-placed finish last season wouldn't suggest Dean are ready to mix it with their rivals for promotion to Home Counties League Division 2, however, Davis points to their astute recruitment over the close-season as well as the side's fine form towards the back end of last season.
Alongside champions Stoke Green, Dean were one of the form sides in the final weeks of the summer, winning four of their last five matches to move away from the lower reaches of the table and Davis hopes they'll carry that kind of form into this season's campaign.
Starting well, which they've struggled to do in recent years, will be key, however, Dean appear to have moved through their seasons of transition - in which many young players were blooded - and might now be regarded as a team capable of taking the title.
They've added a Sri-Lankan overseas bowler, Nimnaka Jayathilake, to their ranks and he's impressed in the club's warm-up matches, while Jamie Odell, a TVL Division 1 winner with Stoke Green has also joined the club.
Adam Ali returns to the fold after an injury-hit season last year looking to once again score bagful’s of runs while Girish Radhakrishnan is a young Berkshire representative who's come to the club from Uxbridge.
Add to that the extra year of experience last year's team now has and it all bodes well for an exciting summer.
“The first three games are so important,” he said. “If you win three, everyone is pumped up and fired to win the league. And if you lose three everyone is looking around wondering where the next win is coming from.
“Suddenly players become unavailable and there’s a multiplier effect both ways.
“I think this might be another tough year in terms of the other teams. There are a lot of overseas players or pros with British passports it looks like.
“We've got a young Sri Lankan left-armer who looks very promising in his opening friendly games. He's called Nimnaka.”
Dean get their season underway at newly-promoted Marlow on Saturday in a match that can't be taken lightly. Marlow were promoted to Division 1 as Division 2A champions last summer having won 12 of their 18 matches and they'll also be looking to hit the ground running at the level above to show they're also a force to be reckoned with.
“It's going to be a completely new challenge,” said Davis. “The one thing about not many teams going up and down each season is that it really is the same old faces year after year. It's nice to see them back. We won't be nice with them in terms of cricket during the game but it's very much good to see them back. It's going to be an exciting year.
“We have a big game first off at newly promoted Marlow. They're unfamiliar because their team has changed a lot since we last played them. But we'll take nothing for granted and take every game on merit.”
Reflecting on the club's recruitment this offseason, Davis added: “This off season we've recruited well. We've got Jamie Odell in from Stoke Green. A previous TVL Division 1 winner last season. We've got Adam Ali who had an off-season last year due to injury but is one of the top run scorers at the club and has looked very good in winter nets and in the pre-season games we've played.
“We've got Girish Radhakrishnan as well who's a Berkshire representative, he's another young seamer who looked good in the winter nets. All the boys are also a year older, so this year is very much about the title.”
Elsewhere in Division 1, Boyne Hill travel to Falkland, while in Division 2A Wraysbury will host Windsor with both teams looking to get their campaigns off to a flyer.