Hadleigh Cricket Club captain Ben Wallis looking for a repeat of 2020 success in 2021
The aim from Hadleigh skipper Ben Wallis is simply to see more of the same from his side this season.
While Covid-19 caused big disruption to the local cricket season in 2020, it was still a campaign that will be fondly looked back on by those connected with the Friars Road club.
Having entered Suffolk head coach Andy Northcote’s league replacement competition, the Atkins & Crane Cup, they topped the East group with a 100 per cent record from their three completed matches.
Wallis’ side then overcame Northcote’s West group-winning Woolpit in the final to carry off the trophy, while the club’s seconds got their hands on the Plate shield.
It came after their last Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship campaign had seen them transform from fighting relegation out of Division One to finishing 26 points off the summit in third place in 2019.
Therefore Wallis is delighted to have not lost anyone from the silverware-winning team of last summer.
“We have managed to keep pretty much the same players from the last two competitive seasons and that is key for us,” he said.
“Hopefully we can have another strong year. You never know what other teams have got in terms of players but I think we’re in a pretty good place to be competitive again this year.”
Zimbabwe-based overseas player Kudzai Maunze topped both the club’s runs (1,221) and wickets (38) charts in 2019 but was unable to return, as agreed, last summer due to the impact of the pandemic. But there is hope he may be able to feature in their 2021 campaign.
“We are just seeing where the land lies,” said Wallis. “If we can get the guy over and it’s all done properly we will do it, otherwise we won’t. We are just waiting to see what we can do.”
Meanwhile, left-arm seamer Oliver Stace, who has East Anglian Premier League (EAPL) experience with Copdock & Old Ipswichian, has agreed to play for Hadleigh before he returns to university.
Wallis’ side, who warmed up with a big victory at Elmstead on Saturday, will be hoping to set down an immediate marker when they open up at 2019 champions Witham on Saturday (12pm).
“It will obviously be a tough game but I would like to think they will be thinking it will be a tough fixture for them too,” he said.
“As a club and as a team we are just looking to win as many games as we can and see where it takes us.”
Halstead go to Woolpit on Saturday (12pm) off the back of a warm-up match against Chelmsford which saw Ed Clark’s side go down to a six-wicket defeat. But Josh Davey (96) and Joe Morris (53) were able to get their eye in with the bat in a total of 226-7.
The north Essex side will be hoping for an improved campaign than in 2019, when they flirted with relegation before finishing ninth.
In Division Three, Long Melford – fifth in 2019 – begin at Haverhill II. Sudbury II, meanwhile, have two times EAPL title winner Dan Poole in their ranks as they look to get their bid to return to Division Two at the first time off to a good start at Little Bardfield Village (both 12.30pm).
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