In the first of his weekly blogs for Knebworth Park, First XI skipper Charlie Randall offers his thoughts on life at the club
SO we are off and running for another league season and it couldn’t really have gone any better in our first match against Hoddesdon.
There is a fresh look about the First XI this year and, pleasingly, it was some of our youngest players who made the difference in the game on Saturday.
Ben Cowell batted with maturity to help me put on a crucial half-century stand and then spinner Luke Chapman returned the eye-catching figures of just 4-12 as the bowlers turned a losing situation into a comfortable win.
There is definitely an exciting vibe about the club this year. In truth, there aren’t so many new faces but the team spirit is good and we have been training hard which can only augur well for the season ahead.
Karun Jethi, our new coach, has made a real impact, putting the players through their paces at training, see picture above. Turn out for training has been much improved since we have got outside.
Some players are reporting back to Karun with aims and goals on how they want their season to go. He has a lot to offer but it’s down to individuals to use Karun to help them achieve their targets.
We will also head to Flitwick this weekend with an unchanged team, which is great for keeping up that team spirit.
That new-found spirit seemed to rub off on the other teams with the Seconds and Fourths also recording comfortable wins. The winning habit has spread to the juniors, too, it seems, with all our young sides off to a good start.
I’m told young leggie Jason Timm, who has joined this year, is a talent and made a great impression with his first spell in the Seconds.
I also hope Harvey Turner gains a bit of confidence from his impressive four-wicket spell for the Fourths. There is a lot to like about the way he bowls; he is tall and has a touch of away drift, which is one of the greatest assets any spinner can possess.
If players keep performing, they will push for selection at a higher level, which will keep everyone on their toes and make sure no complacency creeps in.
Don’t forget training for seniors is every Tuesday and Thursday evening at the ground! See you there.
