LISTEN: Denton CC captain returns home

Denton Cricket Club captain Jamie Garde has returned to his roots and is relishing the chance to lead his side into the 2020 season.

As with all clubs up and down the country, Denton are currently in the dark as to when the season will begin, if it does at all, due to the nationwide lockdown.

But despite the current uncertainty, Jamie is making plans and keeping himself fit in a bid to be ready for action.

The 29-year-old, who has been associated with the club since the age of nine, said the time was right to come home and take up the honour of first team captaincy. Speaking to Reporter Sport, the former Audenshaw School pupil said: "I live on the club and I've grown up here, so I was ready to stay in England and play for the club again. 

"I went over to Australia for two summers in a row. I wanted to play cricket and work there, just to experience their way of living and to enjoy the sun. It was really good. I played for a club about two hours outside of Melbourne. The standard was similar to what we play in England, however they bring overseas players over rather than recruiting professionals like we do in England. It tends to be just English lads who have gone over there as overseas players. It was a good standard of cricket although the conditions are different. Once they find out you're English, the plan is to bowl at your head. The tactics they use over there is also different, so it was definitely a learning experience."

Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, the club had enjoyed four sessions of pre-season training at Total Cricket in Ashton. At least 20 people attended each week, with a mix of new signings and returning faces hoping to impress before the season opener, which was scheduled to take place on 18th April. 

Jamie feels the squad is strong enough to challenge at the top end of the table - although the GMCL has since announced that there will be no promotion or relegations this season.  "We had signed a lad from Delph, Wasim Qasim, who is an opening bowler and has opened the bowling up there for five or six years" he said.

"He's a top player and would have been our main strike bowler. We also have a few lads that are returning to the club, as well as the professional, Asantha Singappuli, although at the moment I'm not too sure what's happening with that. We've also got Keegan Taylor, who played for us a few years ago, returning to the club. A lot of clubs will be in the same position really, because we don't know how long this current situation will go on for."

Due to recent events amid the nationwide lockdown, Denton's club house, which is a hive of activity throughout the week in summer, has closed until further notice. With the revenue stream drying up, the players have taken it upon themselves to raise money for the bar staff during this difficult period.

And they're also offering to do shopping trips for the elderly and vulnerable in Denton and the surrounding areas. "It's home really" said Jamie of the club.  "I live here and I've grown up here, along with a lot of the other lads who play for us. Everyone is struggling for revenue at the moment, but we're finding ways of making money. We're doing football cards and we've also had quizzes between ourselves. We raised money for the bar staff by doing a football card, as they're out of work for the time being. Everyone is just pulling together really and the Whatsapp group has been lively with idifferent ways of making money."

Those wishing to take advantage of the club's shopping offer can contact Jamie on the following: 07742531190