Inverness cricket club’s ambitions remain stumped during lockdown
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There were plenty of reasons for Northern Counties Cricket Club to look forward to 2020 before coronavirus postponed the new season.
Last season’s 2019 T20 Cup winners had been looking to broaden their horizons by entering the Scottish Challenge Cup, as well as targeting more Nosca success and improving youth development.
However, with no start date in place to get the season under way – if there is even a cricket season this year at all – everything has been put on hold, with question marks over ever competition.
“It’s a shame, because there were quite a few things that we had to look forward to,” Counties captain Shaun Thomas said.
“We had entered the Scottish Challenge Cup this year, and our first game was supposed to be the beginning of May away to Livingston.
“If we do get some form of cricket, I don’t know whether they will still run that. That was something to look forward to, facing different opponents and challenging ourselves.
“We have never entered it before. From our league this year it was ourselves and Buckie who entered.
“The rest of the teams seemed to be more from the central belt and Aberdeenshire. It’s almost like our equivalent of the champions league in football.
“It would have been good to try at least.
“But if it doesn’t happen this year, then there’s always next year.”
Counties had continued to train throughout the off-season, starting in October shortly after the 2019 campaign ended.
Moves had already been made in player recruitment too, only adding to the disappointment of being unable to play for the time being.
“We picked up Alex Green, he played for Nairn for quite a few years,” Thomas explained.
“He works for Cricket Scotland, he’s the schools’ co-ordinator and does a lot of the junior coaching.
“He opens the batting too, so he’s a good player to add to our side and he brings a lot to the club outside of playing.
“We do have quite a strong team now, so we were certainly hoping to challenge for the league this year and in the cup competitions.”
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