Walmsley's Studley troops primed for Premier cricket
STUDLEY ROYAL skipper Steve Walmsley is ready to take on the might of the York Senior League Premier Division after their superb title-winning promotion last term.
Royal were simply awesome in 2009 and Walmsley wants to carry on the good work when they play their first ever Premier Division game at Dunnington tomorrow.
The Galphay Road outfit have pulled off a major transfer coup by signing last year’s Ripon captain Gary Blackburn. They’ve also welcomed back Mark Sowrey to the club.
Dan Coad will remain at Studley but has been signed by Yorkshire Academy and will only play when available.
“Everyone’s really positive, particularly as everyone’s stayed on from last year,” said Walmsley.
“Gary Blackburn won the Division One batting last year, he’ll be a big player and will also strengthen the bowling.
“It’s looking good. It’s our first ever season in the Premier and we’ll be playing at some grounds we’ve been to before, that will be exciting.
“Hopefully we can get off to a good start like we did last year.”
Royal will field a fifth team this season who will start life in Division Nine of the Nidderdale League. Their second, third and fourth teams all did well in their respective Nidderdale Leagues last season.
“We’ve got a good crop of youngsters around the age of 14 and 15 who are old enough to play senior cricket. We’ll be hoping the second team do well too,” said Walmsley.
“It’s important the gap between second team cricket and first team cricket isn’t too big.”
THIRSK are hoping for a mid-table finish in the Premier Division this season, after losing three players and recruiting just one.
Mark Cook, a 22-year-old who has led the club’s evening league side for three years, has been appointed captain.
“It’s an absolutely massive honour for me,” he said, ahead of tomorrow’s game at home to Acomb.
“I have played for the club since I was 10 years old.
“I am not as experienced as some of the other captains in the division, but the club think I can do it, all the lads are behind me and I hope we can do well this season.”
The club lost three players over the summer: wicketkeeper Sean Holmes, replaced by Sessay’s Matthew Megson, Liam McKendry - who has gone to open the batting for York - and batsman Gary Bolton, who has retired.
“We have got a good young side with a strong team spirit and if we can finish mid-table, staying clear of relegation, we will be fairly happy,” Cook said.
“It’s always tough in the Premier league, and this will be a big learning curve for me, but I think we can keep plugging on and grinding out results.”
SESSAY are hoping to finish in the top half, having beaten Woodhouse by five wickets in the season’s curtain-raiser.
Captain Stephen Langstaff said: “We’ve lost a couple of players from last year, so our target is slightly lower this time around, but this is a chance for the more experienced players to take a stronger role and for some of the younger lads to kick on.”
Dave Johnson, Sessay’s leading bowler, has gone to Dinnington, while batsman Tommy Kay will miss much of the first half of the season due to work commitments.
“We would be pleased with a top-half finish,” Langstaff said.
“We did well in the President's Trophy on Sunday, so hopefully we can build on that.”
Nick Harrison scored 57, supported by Nick Thorne (46) and Matthew Till (42).
Richard Till got 3-36 with the ball and Mark Wilkey took 2-24.
Sessay visit Beverley Town tomorrow in their opening league game of the season.
RIPON have a new captain in Paul Mel as they look to push for promotion from Division One, starting with tomorrow’s hosting of Pickering.
The South African says the loss of former skipper Gary Blackburn and vice captain Pip Warters is a blow, but that the team possesses enough quality to mount a serious title challenge.
“I’m really looking forward to it, it’s quite a nice challenge,” Mel said.
“We have had a couple of departures, with Gary wanting to test himself in the Premier division, but at the same time there are several players returning and a few who’ve proved themselves in the 2nds.
“Rob Howard was part of the first team for quite a while and he is now back and scored runs in our warm-up game against Dringhouses.”
Ripon won the match by three wickets, giving them a timely boost ahead of the season.
“If you look at Studley two seasons ago, they fought off relegation until practically the last day of the season, then they were pretty much unbeaten all season,” Mel said.
“We were mid-table last year and now we want to push on from that.
“With Gary and Pip having left, I thought we might struggle, but given the players that have come in and how we have gone on in the warm-up game, I’m confident.
“It’s all about the start you get - you just see what happens in the first few weeks and weigh up where you can go from there.”
Mel said Ripon were relying on Matthew Morton with the ball, while himself, Howard, Toby Mulls and Tom Leeming would shoulder responsibility with the bat.
lTHE Lords International Nidderdale League got under way on Saturday, with Newby Hall, Masham and Helperby all in action.
For a full set of results turn to page 38.
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Weather for Ripon
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
