Northern Counties Cricket Club captain Will Ford hails players after 2022 season returns two cup finals and a first North of Scotland Senior League title since 2004 to Meeting Park in Inverness
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Will Ford believes Northern Counties have plenty of reason to be proud of the 2022 season after winning cricket’s Senior League title for the first time in 18 years.
The Meeting Park outfit had been undefeated in the league for most of the season, but somewhat stumbled over the line after losing to Nairn County.
Their place at the top of the table was then confirmed without playing, as closest challengers Forres lost to Ross County in their final match.
Still, a first league title since 2004 caps off a campaign that has seen Counties compete in the finals of both Nosca cup competitions, as well as making it to the quarter finals of a Scotland-wide cup, so Ford could not hide his pride at their achievements this year.
“We’ve had two cup finals, and we won the league, so it has been a really good year for us,” he said.
“We haven’t won the league since 2004, so we can finally say we’ve got that monkey off our back now. It’s not hanging over us any more, that pressure has gone now.
“Beating Forres three times in a season – home, away and in a cup – is something we haven’t done at least in the last 10 years.
“That’s massive, and we’ve only been bowled out twice this season which we haven’t done before so there are lots of things to build on next year and lots to be proud of.
“Our reserves won the title a few years back, but a Senior League title hasn’t happened for a long time. I’m so proud of all the boys.”
Ford does not mind that Counties were not in action to get over the line, as he believes it shows how competitive the league is – and he thinks it will only get tougher to retain the title next year.
“We could have avoided the uncertainty if we had beaten Nairn the week before, but the league is getting stronger,” he explained.
“You don’t want teams winning all the time and needing a 100 per cent record to win the league. Where’s the fun in that? I think it was a bit of an anti-climax, but the position we put ourselves in all season allowed us to win it.
“Highland might be coming back into the league next year, Buckie too. We could be going up to eight teams, so that will increase the excitement for everyone.”
