GIDMAN TARGETS SPOT AT TOP TABLE TO DELIVER NEWCASTLE’S BIG PLAN
NEWCASTLE & Hartshill captain Jonathon Gidman says elevation to the top table is the next step in the club’s long-term plan.
Castle haven’t featured in the newlynamed NSSCL Premier A Division since 2015, but have gradually been rebuilding since their demotion that year.
A strong emphasis has been put on developing junior players - and it could well be that this summer is the year they make the leap back to the top flight.
Skipper Gidman says that returning to mix it with the elite is vital to ensure that years of hard work don’t go to waste.
“I think as a club we’ve realised we need to be able to provide Premier Division cricket for the younger players,” said Gidman, himself a product of the Castle youth system.
“We have talented youngsters coming through and for the future of the club we need to be able to retain them and play at the highest level of local cricket.
“That’s a key plan for the club. We’ve been building this for a while with juniors coming through. Everything is going in the right direction - and we’ve felt that for the last couple of years, even though we didn’t finish as high as we wanted last summer.”
Newcastle & Hartshill finished in eighth place in Division last season, but have been ear-marked for a promotion tilt this time around.
That is not only down to the production line of juniors emerging, but also their winter transfer business.
Castle recruited Porthill Park batsman Ryan Hassett and welcomed back James Cronie from Checkley.
Spinner Sachithra Perera, last year’s overseas player at Porthill, has also joined.
And in a further boost, Dan Gibbs is now back in action after missing a large chunk of the 2023 schedule because of injury.
“It was exciting to bring James Cronie back home, his dad Rich was happy,” added Gidman.
“Ryan, everything fell into place. He knows a lot of the lads and everyone knows about his ability.
“Gibbo was a massive loss last year for us. That showed when we tailed off towards the end after being there or thereabouts in the first half.
“It’s brilliant to have him back.” Castle kicked off their Premier B season with a home victory over Elworth, who dropped down from the top flight at the end of last season.
And one of the stars of that win was 17-year-old opener Rohan Vallabhaneni, who compiled a century to set up the success.
“It was a great start to the season. We’ve prepared well during the winter and were good to go,” explained Gidman.
“Rohan’s was a special innings and we are really proud of how he’s developed.