Micklehurst captain Forrester targets promising season

Micklehurst Cricket Club captain Jonny Forrester believes his side can hold their own in the Greater Manchester Division Two B.

The Richmond Hill outfit, who will be competing against local sides including Ashton’s 1st XI and Saddleworth’s 1st XI, start their campaign on Saturday, April 17 with a home clash against Whalley Range 2nd XI. The squad will be hoping for a good run in the 1st XI Championship Cup, sponsored by Tetley’s, and have been handed a home tie in the first stage against Milnrow, with the fixture set to be played on Sunday, May 9. The club will also be represented in the T20 Cup, with their first game at Mottram on Friday, May 21.

Forrester, a longstanding member of the club, is relishing the chance to return to the pitch for what will hopefully be, Covid permitting, a full season of competitive cricket. Speaking to Reporter Sport, he said: “Even though it wasn’t really a proper season last year, we enjoyed it and did quite well. Saddleworth pipped us by a point to the top of the table, so we had a decent run. We’ve made a couple of signings and have two senior sides this year. We didn’t have a third team last year, so we’ve decided to run with a Sunday side this year, which is good, because it keeps the club open and it’s always better to have more games taking place.

“The aim is to have a first and second team playing on a Saturday - that’s what you want. Ideally, you want two senior sides playing on a Saturday, and then if you want a third team playing on a Sunday you can do, but in order to do that you have to offer people something in the area. It’s not really about paying players anymore, it’s more about the facilities available to players. Aesthetically the ground is fantastic and the wicket, for me personally, is the best in the league.”

While his attention is firmly on first team matters, Forrester also takes a huge interest in the junior set-up and is hoping for more youngsters to join the club to create a solid foundation for the future. “This year alone we’ve already lost six youngsters to local clubs, and when you’re fighting for numbers six players is a lot to lose over a winter through no fault of your own. Children haven’t had the opportunity to get out to sports clubs due to Covid over the past 12 months, so we wanted a real push this year and were hoping to get round to the schools and the local area to entice them. It’s so important to create a strong, junior section and establish a clear pathway into the senior sides.”

If you’re interested in joining, you can contact the club on Twitter @Micklehurstcc

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