IT may be only mid-February with weather forecaster warning of more sub-zero temperatures to come before the winter is gone, but a Bradninch CC Colt, waking to bright sunshine on the first day of his half-term holiday, packed his cricket bag and trundled up to the nets at Kensham Park for a first taste of outdoor cricket since last summer!Madness? Well there is some method to the perceived craziness, as 13-year-old William Birley (pictured) explained.
Said young Birley: “Why not? We are currently two or maybe even three players short for this year's Under-14 team .
“I have a friend who is keen to play this summer so I thought let’s hook him early! “Hopefully he will take to the game and so we will be one nearer a full 11 for the first game of the Bradley’s East Devon Cricket League season in 11 weeks time.”
Last years U-13 skipper is keen for the Bradninch team to be even more competitive this summer and is looking to recruit a couple more players through his friends via football and at school (Cullompton Community Collage).
The early-bird pair were later joined by two more of this year’s Under-14 team, so an impromptu ‘net’ was held, even if the net is not up yet!
There’s now’t like getting in an early start to a new cricket season…