Elvidge is excited by Academy opener
Scarborough Cricket Club’s Ben Elvidge is hoping for a successful season ahead of their YPLN opener at Yorkshire Academy this weekend.
Elvidge is looking forward to the season having taken a break from cricket last year.
“I’m looking forward to it this season and having the year off has given me the hunger for it,” he said.
“I think the club is in such a good place this year and it seems we’ve signed really well and the younger guys are maturing really well.
“It’s the first time we’ve had a proper squad of players who are more than capable of playing first team cricket.”
When Elvidge turns up at Weetwood to play against Yorkshire Academy, it’ll be the first competitive cricket he’s played since September 2019. But the all-rounder has found a new hunger for the game and is ready for the start of the season.
He said: “I had the year out, work was busy, I played a lot of golf and having that time away has definitely made me miss the game.
“It’s always a really tough place to go and play cricket and I’m sure that they’ll be well prepared for the game.
“We’re going into the game with a much stronger squad and we’ve got some lads who’ve been netting throughout the winter so it’ll be a nice mix between experience and youth.”
Elvidge took 31 wickets and scored 449 runs in 2019 and is hopeful the new signings will settle quickly.
He added: “All the lads have settled in brilliantly and they look like really good blokes to be around.
“It’s always going to take a couple of games to get into things but I think there is a good mix in the squad.
“Piet (Rinke) is a leader, who’ll hold everyone accountable for the decisions that they make and Pat (Roberts) comes from a strong cricketing background and is a good bloke.
“You need the mix of lads who will put their arm around you and others who will pull you into line and give you a couple of hard truths.”