'This year is full of promise' – that is the outlook of new Ipplepen Cricket Club skipper Keith Wakeham as he prepares to lead the club into the new season, where the main focus will lie in the continuing progression of the club's talented young players.
With so many juniors coming through the ranks and pushing for places in the senior teams, the club has re-entered the South Devon Sunday League to give additional opportunities for players to play competitive cricket each weekend.
Wakeham explained: 'Competition for places is a nice problem to have, but looking at the number of players available for the coming season, with just two teams, we would have been leaving out talented cricketers each Saturday.
'The Sunday side gives extra opportunities for young players to develop, and for senior players to press their case for inclusion in the first and second teams.'
Last year, the first eleven suffered from a number of postponed games – they lost seven of their 18 games to the weather – and just managed to retain their place in the D division for the coming season.
Wakeham will aim for another season of blending youth with experience, with established players like Rich Hayman and Jeff Heath supporting young guns like Luke Tuckett and Sam De Friend.
The second eleven enjoyed a successful season last term, finishing a creditable fifth in a competitive 2nd XI C division.
Once again Ipplepen seconds will be aiming to call on developing youngsters such as James Wotton, Joe Abbott and Jonny Ranjit, with the latter having won the divisional batting award (with an average of 54.50) for the 2008 season.
The newly-formed Sunday eleven will be jointly captained by Simon Tuckett and John Walton, and is likely to feature a large proportion of talented youngsters from the U15 and U17 age groups, as well as some senior players.
There will also be plenty of midweek cricket, with teams being fielded in all three cup competitions plus the Twenty20 league, and lots of friendly matches.
Touring sides will be welcomed to the club throughout the summer, where the recently refurbished bar and clubhouse will offer a warm welcome to visiting teams and local spectators young and old.
Social events will also be a regular feature of the 2009 season, with the first Friday of each month being set aside for a range of discos, race nights, quizzes and similar.
Alongside the senior teams, Ipplepen will again be fielding a full complement of age group teams from their ever-expanding colts set-up.
In a slight change around, the popular training evenings for U13s and younger players will this year revert to Monday evenings at the Moor Lane ground – registration night Friday, April 24 – while seniors and older colts (U15s and U17s) have now started training on a Thursday evening at the ground.
New players of any age, as well as supporters and volunteers, are always welcome at the club.
More information can be gained from either Keith Wakeham (senior cricket) on 07736 359010, Alan Boon (colts cricket) on 07887 772411 or Tom Cooper (chairman) on 01803 813415.