Dads’ Army bid to repel all raiders

LUKE PROCTER . . . ready to embark on his second full season as professional at The Paddock.

ROYTON will be relying on father and son partnerships as they bid to make an impact this season.

Barry Woodward has come out of retirement to take over as first-team captain from Guy Lovell, while John Punchard is returning to the Paddock after a spell with Middleton.

And their respective sons, Mark and Andrew, both successful second X1 players at Royton in 2008, have been promoted to the senior side.

Lovell, the new second-team captain, is aiming to bring on several promising juniors who include his son, Joseph.

And there will be more father-and-son link-ups in the third X1 where Bernard Wade - in his 30th season as a player at Royton - will skipper a side which contains his sons Scott and Adam.

Luke Procter, last season’s professional at the Paddock, has returned from his winter’s cricket in Australia and is aiming to step up on a promising first year as paid man.

He will open the batting and bowling and is expected to receive strong support from overseas amateur Ryan Carters, who arrives from Australia with a glowing reputation.

Carters has represented his country at under-19 level, plays for the Western Australia academy team and is a top-order batsman and wicket-keeper.

Middle-order batsman Simon Webb has committed himself to first-team cricket and will link up with his former Paddock team-mates Woodward and Punchard, while ex-Woodhouses fast bowler Nick Maxwell is an interesting new recruit.

Denny Hulme and Ryan Harding have left the club, but young fast bowler Matthew Hodson remains at the Paddock and will be given his first-team chance along with all-rounder Dave Clarke.

Woodward snr, who last captained Royton 14 years ago, admits the club has one eye on the future.

Royton have a thriving youth section and there are six or seven youngsters in the second team who could one day progress to senior level.

“We are looking to consolidate this season,” he said.

“We would be happy with a top-half finish and it is interesting that we play Middleton, John Punchard’s last club, in the first round of the Wood Cup.

“It’s a big year for Luke, but he has been working hard with the youngsters in the nets and is looking extremely good himself.

“And if the overseas amateur is as good as we are led to believe, it should be quite exciting.”