Lenhardt takes the reins at Glodwick

CAPTAIN’S ROLE . . . Franco Lenhardt has replaced Nigel Stock as skipper of reigning champions Glodwick.

CRICKET: 

FOURTEEN clubs go to post in the 2015 SWB Commercials Saddleworth and District Cricket League.

With plans afoot to form a Greater Manchester pyramid system, this year’s competition could well be the last.

The first of a two-part preview features Austerlands to Moorside with Saddleworth to Wythenshawe tomorrow.

The action gets under way on Sunday.


MOORSIDE . . .


Captain: Danny Anchor. Professional: Grant Hodnett (South Africa). Overseas

amateur: None.


MOORSIDE mean business. The signings of left-arm spinner James Baron — 55 wickets last term — and leading

wicketkeeper Alex Griffiths from Uppermill, both of whom know what it takes to win the title, as well as big-hitting middle-order batsman Kashif Khan, add strength and experience to all departments.

With front-line bowler Kyle Hodnett, brother of professional Grant, also among the ranks, skipper Danny Anchor has a formidable first-choice XI at his disposal.

Moorside are further buoyed by seamer Glen McFadyean staying put. He was set to sign for Woodhouses in the Lancashire County League until a change of mind.

On the down side, the club’s impressive overseas amateur for the past three years, South African Francois Mostert, has taken up a similar role at Bangor in North Wales.



AUSTERLANDS . . .


Captain: Mark Peters. Professional: Asif Zakir (Pakistan). Overseas amateur: CJ Ferera (South Africa).


MARK Peters has stepped up to skipper the side after Adam Young relinquished the role.

Second-in-command last season, the 27-year-old has a new overseas amateur under his wing, South African CJ Ferera. He has replaced Cameron Roxby and arrives in this country on the back of a recommendation from ex-Shaw player Nicky van den Bergh.

An off-spin bowler who bats at four or five, Ferara has appeared for his North-West under-19s (formerly Western Transvaal).

Asif Zakir returns for a second term, so too the impressive Mohammed Irfan.

Former Austerlands junior Joe Molloy is available after finishing his studies at Lancaster University and, like Irfan, is another left-arm seamer. He is also lightning-quick in the field.

Despite threatening to retire, batsman Kevin Du Feu carries on.



DROYLSDEN . . .

Captain: Michael Schofield. Professional: Mohammed Jamal (England). Overseas amateur: None.


SECOND XI title success last season has earned four home-grown players promotion to the first team — Jamie Walker, Danny Taylor, Dale Evans and Alex Cicchirillo.

Spinner Walker and medium paceman Taylor were first and second respectively in the Division Two bowling averages and Evans was runner-up in the batting.

Cicchirillo keeps wicket, which could mean Matthew Halliday, last year’s leading gloveman in Division One, playing as a

batsman and being used as an occasional off-spin bowler.

Mohammed Jamal, former paid man at Chorley (Lancashire League) and Reed (Ribblesdale League), is the professional. He has attracted fellow run-maker Mohammed Zafran and bowler Yousuf Ali.

Droylsden have been dealt a blow in losing Mohammed Shakir to Saddleworth and Radcliffe-bound all-rounder Saif Ur Rehman. The pair claimed more than 120 wickets between them last season.



FRIARMERE . . .


Captain: Sohail Mahmood. Professional: None. Overseas amateur: TBC.


THERE are a raft of changes at Slack Lane, where Sohail Mahmood, who led the club’s under-17s to league and cup

success several years ago, has been named skipper. Ben Ingham is his second in command.

Although Friarmere are still looking to sign an overseas amateur, they have sealed the signatures of Droylsden pair Abdul Chand (batsman) and Mohammed Habib (off-spinner), seam bowler Mohammed Kamran (ex-Hollinwood) and Zohaib Mirza (formerly of Glodwick). The latter is to share the wicketkeeping duties with Andy Walker.

Callum Steel, a left-arm pace bowler from Lancaster University, is also among the new names.

Local cricket league character Mel Whittle has joined Crompton.


GLODWICK . . .


Captain: Franco Lenhardt. Professional: Rehan Rafiq (Pakistan). Overseas amateur: None.


AFTER leading the Warren Lane club to their first league title, Nigel Stock has handed the skipper’s armband to all-rounder Franco Lenhardt.

“I’ll have to play for my first-team spot now,” said the 40-year-old, who shuffles playing with coaching roles at Glodwick and for the Oldham District sides. “It’s a big commitment and I think it’s time for a change. Franco is a good choice.”

Prized professional Rehan Rafiq is back again. He scored almost 1,500 runs and claimed 70 wickets last season.


GREENFIELD . . .


Captain: Chris Gill. Professional: Tinashe Panyangara (Zimbabwe). Overseas amateur: Brendon Jacobs (Australia).


FINGERS are crossed at Ladhill Lane that paceman Tinashe Panyangara (pictured below) is here for the start of the season on Sunday.

The Zimbabwe professional, an ever-present for his country in this year’s Cricket World Cup, is currently tied up back home.

Overseas amateur Brendon Jacobs has arrived, though, from Perth, Australia, where he made his first grade debut over the winter. Eighteen on Saturday, he is earmarked to open the batting.

Greenfield’s former paid man Chris Gill took over the captaincy from Alex Peters partway through 2014 and continues in the role.

The 23-year-old hopes to have batsman Jack Shaw and all-rounder Mike Jones available for the majority of the campaign after other commitments restricted their availability in the past.






MICKLEHURST . . .


Captain: Michael Blomeley. Professional: None. Overseas amateur: Alton Beckford (West Indies).


WITH no professional this season — Peter Skuse has joined Stayley as an amateur — much will rest on the shoulders of new overseas amateur Alton Beckford.

The West Indian all-rounder spent the last three years at Bolton Association club Flixton, for whom he took 60 wickets and scored 750 runs in 2014.

With experience in the bag of conditions over here, hopes are high that Beckford can make his presence felt under the guidance of skipper Michael Blomeley.



twitter: @kevrichardsonOC